Fever Pitch
by xxredwineandambiencexx
Summary: Klaus and Caroline are both at the top of their game in their respective sports. When Caroline is sidelined by a career threatening injury, she flies to London to recuperate, and very quickly meets Klaus Mikaelson, captain and striker of a top football team.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, The Originals would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

"Good morning passengers, this is your captain speaking. We will be commencing descent into Heathrow shortly but first I ask that you move your seats to an upright position and stow away your tray tables and all personal belongings. It is currently six thirty am Greenwich time and we are experiencing some cloudiness with scattered sunshine."

Caroline moves her seat to an upright position, eyes flicking towards her crutches to where they're stowed in the cupboard with the rest of the coats from first class. She flexes her left knee experimentally, wincing at the slight twinge of pain she experiences.

A flight attendant bends down as if guessing the direction of her thoughts. The younger girl's name had been Vicki, and she'd been nothing but attentive for the entire flight out from LAX, even fetching heat packs and ice for her when her knee required it.

"Good morning Caroline." Vicki greets her warmly, and it's amazing that the girl can look as fresh as a daisy after pulling a red eye shift. There's not a single wrinkle on her uniform, and her smile is just as bright as it had been when they'd left at the other end. "Can I get you anything before I land? I'll pop back to help you with your crutches once we've got wheels on the tarmac of course, and the other passengers have agreed to let you disembark first."

The first class cabin was relatively empty this flight, just an older couple who were on their way home and another girl she recognises as a Victoria's Secret model.

"I'm fine, thank you Vicki. And please pass my thanks onto the other passengers. That's very kind of them." She gives Vicki a smile, and the flight attendant gives her a polite smile in return before continuing down the aisle to carry out her pre landing duties.

Caroline leans back into the headrest of her seat and closes her eyes, wondering again why this was a good idea to even come to London in the first place.

Sports injuries were a funny thing, especially at an elite level. In fact, it didn't matter what level you were at, injuries were a massive hit to your confidence. And when you were in a sport like gymnastics, a loss of confidence was the last thing that you needed, especially when your team was headed to the Olympics in the next year or so.

It happened at a world meet. She was captaining the US women's artistic gymnastic team to what would have been an easy victory. All it had taken was one misstep in a tumbling line, and she'd ended up sprawled out on the sprung floor with a torn ACL.

In one fell swoop she'd gone from being the best gymnast on that team to being a liability. The doctors couldn't decide whether or not she'd ever compete again, but she was getting old. Most gymnasts retired early 20's, and she was pushing 24, practically a dinosaur.

It was her coach, Alaric Saltzman, who seemed determined that she would compete again, and that she would captain her team again at an elite level- The Olympics.

Ric had wanted her to recover out of the public eye, and away from the pressures of the people around her who might push her back into competition far too early. As it turns out, Ric was friends with Enzo Augustine, one of the top rehabilitative physiotherapists in London. Enzo had agreed to take her on as a patient, and when Caroline had rung her oldest friend Bonnie Bennett, the other girl had immediately agreed to let her stay in the guest bedroom of her Canary Wharf apartment free of charge.

Long story short, she was the luckiest person on this planet right now.

The plane slams down onto the tarmac, and she can't help but tighten her grip on the armrests of her chair, eyes squeezing shut with the squeal of the brakes and the shuddering of the plane. She always had hated take offs and landings.

She unclips her seatbelt once the light chimes on over her head, and as promised Vicki materialises at her side, waiting patiently with her crutches as she gathers her backpack.

"I'll have one of the ground staff gather your bags for you and help you through to the foyer. Do you have anyone waiting for you?" Vicki asks politely as she tucks the crutches under her arms.

"Yeah I think I'll be alright. Thank you again for all your help." She smiles warmly as she levers herself to her feet, Vicki handing her the crutches, looking on anxiously while she tucks them under her arms.

As Vicki had promised, a uniformed man was already waiting at the front of the plane, and immediately took her carry on from Vicki, slinging it over his shoulder.

"Let's get to it then Ms Forbes." The man tips his head towards her respectfully as she begins the slow progress up the air tunnel. "Is this your first stay in England?"

His tone is polite, no ulterior motive behind his question.

"My first extended stay." She returns with a smile. "I'm doing some rehab on my knee before heading back to America."

She continues to make polite small talk with the man as they grab her two suitcases off the carousel and continue through customs and then to the foyer. Her progress through was faster than expected, probably because of her first class status and the fact that she had a British Airways employee helping her along.

And perhaps because of the crutches as well.

She spots Bonnie almost straight away in the arrivals foyer, a tall dark haired man with a mischievous smile waiting beside her.

Bonnie lets out a grin before meeting her halfway, pulling her into a gentle hug so as not to jostle her crutches.

"It's so good to see you Care! I'm just sorry it had to be under these circumstances." Bonnie remarks quietly as she steps away carefully.

"Are you kidding? You're an absolute godsend for letting me stay in your apartment. I really can't thank you enough." Caroline replies, shifting her crutches slightly. "Seriously Bon, it's so great to see you as well. Let's not wait so long next time."

The man steps forward, bending down to press a chaste kiss to her cheek.

"This is my fiance, Kol." Bonnie supplies with a laugh as Kol steps away to take her suitcases from the British Airways employee. "I think I'm going to keep this one."

"I heard that Witch!" Kol calls, just loud enough for them to hear.

To her surprise, Bonnie lets out an honest to god giggle at his words.

"Come on. Let's get you settled back at our place."

* * *

She crashes in the end, some pretty brutal jet lag catching up to her. When she wakes up and reaches for her crutches, wincing at the furry feeling of her mouth, she spots a note slipped underneath the door.

She struggles across the room and picks up the note, the pain always worse in her knee in the mornings. On it, Bonnie has written a few sentences in her own scribble, and she has to squint to decipher the spidery handwriting.

 _Caroline,_

 _Make yourself at home, and please don't feel bad for passing out early last night. I'm at work all day today, but Kol would be more than happy to show you around London if you'd like. He's promised he won't bite._

 _Bonnie xx_

After cleaning her teeth and splashing some water on her face, she emerges from her bedroom to join the outside world. They always stressed that, in her post recovery phase. Interact with people as much as possible, and avoid spending time alone dwelling on what might have been.

Kol is sitting at the table doing a crossword, a mug of tea paused halfway to his mouth as he puzzles out a particularly difficult clue. His eyes flick towards her as he hears the steady 'thunk' of her crutches against the hardwood floor, and a friendly smile creeps across his face as she approaches.

"Morning Caroline." Kol remarks in a neutral tone, pushing the bowl of fruit towards her. There's a veritable spread of breakfast foods on the table, everything from toast to pancakes, to sausages. "Bonnie googled a little bit about what sort of diet you may or may not be keeping, and made sure to stock the house with plenty of elite athlete friendly food."

In answer, she reaches for the plate of pancakes and spears a few with her fork. Kol just laughs, returning to his crossword.

"Something funny?" She asks carefully, not sure how friendly Kol is willing to be towards her, considering she's an intruder in the life he and Bonnie seemed to have carved out.

"Not in that way darling." Kol promises with another quick smile. "You just reminded me of my brother then. That same stubbornness."

Caroline drizzles maple syrup on her stack of three, practically moaning at the taste of the first bite.

"What does your brother do?" She asks curiously, wondering just how big Kol's family is, whether he'd be willing to share more information about them.

"You've probably heard of him actually, considering he's at the top of his game as well. Niklaus Mikaelson?"

She wracks her brains, trying to figure out why that name does sound so familiar. It comes to her at the same time that Kol opens his mouth again to explain.

"He plays soccer doesn't he? He's the Captain of one of the Premier League teams over here."

Kol looks horrified.

"It's _football._ _"_ He hisses in a low voice. "But yes that's about the gist of it. Captain, Striker, all around game maker. He's playing a game tonight actually and he asked me to come. Bonnie hates the game which is absolutely beyond me, but you're more than welcome to join me if you're interested in watching some sport instead of participating yourself." Kol says the whole thing very quickly, like he can't wait to get the words out, like he's yanking off a bandaid.

"I have to be up early tomorrow for an appointment with the physio. Otherwise I would have loved to come." She smiles apologetically at Kol, who nods his head emphatically.

"You are still on rest period, which means that you are allowed to take certain liberties with your diet apparently, and your sleeping patterns. Please come tonight. If you don't have any fun, I promise I won't make you do it again, and you and Bonnie can have pillow fights in your underwear or whatever girls do when they gather together socially."

She throws her head back and laughs at Kol's crass humour.

"For the record, we skip the underwear and just do it naked. But sounds good. How about I get dressed and you can show me around London like Bonnie promised?"

The shocked look on Kol's face makes her teasing all the more worth it.

Hours later, she's absolutely wiped, but Kol has actually managed to jam in a whole lot of landmarks for her. He'd immediately made a beeline for the nearest hop on hop off bus, and although Kol went to great lengths to inform her that he usually wouldn't be caught dead on such a thing, this was the best way to see London, especially when she was indisposed and still on crutches.

So Kol took her to Buckingham Palace, St Pauls Cathedral, and the Tower Bridge. They spent hours at the Tower of London, then to Piccadilly Circus, and then to Westminster Abbey before having lunch at a cafe tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

It was miles away from Karolyi Ranch in Huntsville, Texas, where the women's gymnastic team spent most of their time training, and where she'd been living before her injury.

During their time together, she found out more about Kol and how he met Bonnie. Kol came from the Mikaelson family, who apparently were ambitious enough to succeed in each of their chosen fields. They were bona fide nobility, and Kol took great relish in seeing the shocked expression on her face when he revealed that his mother still lived in their mansion out in the Lakes District of England, a house that had belonged to the family since the reign of King Henry VIII.

There were five Mikaelson siblings including Kol, with Elijah being the eldest. Elijah was a high flying lawyer who worked at the Doughty Street Chambers, specialising in international law and human rights. It was commonplace for Elijah to jet over to The Hague in The Netherlands to work in the United Nation's International Court of Justice.

Next came Klaus, who had begun playing football at a young age, and had worked his way through various clubs and training camps until he'd been signed to his team at the age of 18 years old. From there he'd very quickly proven his worth, and now at the age of 25 he was very successfully captaining the side to numerous victories. They were even tipped to take out first place in the League this year, although Kol did mention there would be some stiff competition.

Kol himself was a research scientist at Oxford University. He lectured part time, but from what she could understand from his complicated explanation, he was trying to figure out what caused cancerous cells and a less lethal way of eliminating them from the body.

Rebekah Mikaelson was Kol's twin, and even Caroline had heard of the other girl, a fashion designer known for her affordable and yet still stylish clothes. Rebekah had recently enjoyed a boost in revenue when the Duchess of Cambridge had worn one of her dresses.

Rounding out the Mikaelson family was the youngest, Henrik, who was studying engineering. She had no doubt from what she'd heard of his other siblings, that he would succeed in both his studies and his later career.

It was nice, to hear Kol talk about his family, to see how obviously close all of them still were despite the different directions their careers were taking them. It was nothing like her own family, divorced parents and a mom who couldn't care less about her career in gymnastics.

Kol glances at his watch, and she notes that it's quite an expensive brand, although the name escapes her at the moment.

"Come on. Kick off is at eight o'clock, and I'm sure you're dying for a rest between now and then."

She gets to her feet, leaving her half empty cup of tea behind her.

"Honestly I thought you'd never realise."

* * *

She'd always loved watching sport. The atmosphere itself was always absolutely electric, the barely contained excitement of thousands of fans all in the one place at the same time, watching a game they were passionate about.

Of course, it also helped that she wasn't the one competing for once, everyone else's attention all devoted to someone else. She could deal pretty well with the pressure of competition, but she always did hate being the centre of attention.

Kol pulls his Range Rover into the back entrance of the stadium, to where the players usually park. She takes note of the expensive cars with barely concealed interest, tucking her crutches under her arm as Kol helps her down from the passengers seat.

There's a security guard manning one of the doors, and it's not until Kol has showed him his ID and explained that she was a guest of his that he finally speaks.

"I should warn you about the WAG's." Kol begins in a low voice, very much aware that the concrete corridors in the bowels of the stadium make his voice reverberate, louder than what it actually is.

"You have to be kidding me." She murmurs, reaching out and stopping him by the arm.

Wives and girlfriends, or WAG's as they were most often christened by the media, were present in almost every elite sport. Glamorous and beautiful, the wives and girlfriends of the players were often notorious in their own right, without even being attached to one of the team.

Depending on the sport, it could be quite a vicious atmosphere. And judging by the apologetic expression on Kol's face, it seemed that she was going to walk right into the lion's den, so to speak.

She suddenly regrets picking out the jeans and the top that she was wearing, along with her simple simple flat heeled boots.

"I wish I was. I should have probably warned you before now. They're not the most pleasant of people to deal with at the best of times. And they're probably going to talk about you a fair bit. Just ignore them and stick with me, okay?"

"Fine." Caroline remarks with a sigh, turning her gaze towards the elevators at the end of the hallway.

They continue their progress, Kol pressing the appropriate floor.

When the doors open at the other end, there's a moment of silence before Kol straightens his shoulders, gesturing for her to proceed before strolling out after her.

"Good evening Ladies." He pronounces with a charming smile. "Lovely to see you all again this evening. This is my friend Caroline, it's her first game tonight so be nice."

Her eyes scan the crowd, and she can't help but try and guess which ones were the wives, and which ones were the girlfriends.

"Kol Mikealson, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" A gorgeous brunette drawls with a wicked smile, unfurling herself from one of the many leather couches scattered around the private box.

Kol accepts a kiss on the cheek, returning the embrace before introducing the brunette.

"Caroline, this is Katherine Pierce, my brother Elijah's fiancee. Kitty Kat, this is Caroline Forbes, one of Bonnie's friends from America."

Katerina's lips curl into a smile.

"Yes, the gymnast from America. How are you settling in? I hope this one hasn't scared you off yet." She gestures towards Kol, who scoffs, looking slightly insulted by Katherine's insinuation. "Come and sit down before you fall down. I'd rather not have you re injure or yourself on my watch."

Caroline just smiles shyly at the other woman, shaking her head to the first question as a way of response.

"He's been fine, nothing but accommodating. We spent some time wandering around London this afternoon."

She can hear murmurs and whispers as Katherine leads her over to the front of the glass box, the best seats in the house.

"Ignore them." Katherine guesses the direction of her thoughts before she can even voice them out loud. "They have nothing better to do but sit around and talk about everyone. Kol darling, can you get Caroline and I some drinks?"

"Oh I probably shouldn't drink…" Caroline begins hesitantly as Katherine and Kol exchange a _look._

"Two vodka sodas please Kol." Katherine asks with another smile.

Kol disappears across the room, squeezing through a crowd of younger girls dressed in tight dresses. Girlfriends, she supposed.

She can't help but be surprised by how nice Katherine is to her. When some of the wives and girlfriends come up to introduce themselves to her and ask about her injury Katherine remains by her side, moving them along when the other get a little bit too inquisitive.

Kol plants himself on her other side just as the first whistle blows for kickoff.

The next 90 minutes are tense in the best sort of way. It comes with the territory, when two teams who are evenly matched in ability play against one another. She can't help but be drawn to the player with the number 8 jersey.

He's _gorgeous._ Tall and leanly muscled, his blonde hair is swept away from his face, eyes sweeping the field, taking in every aspect of the game that he can. There's an air of authority about him, like he's a man who knows exactly what he needs to do and when to do it.

The game unfolds in ebbs and flows, each play hotly contested. And the whole time she keeps her eyes on number 8, watching as he directs his team mates around the field, waiting for _something._

Kol follows the line of her gaze at the beginning of the second half.

"Ah. I see you've found my brother with very little assistance." Kol nudges her with a teasing smile as she finally tears her eyes away from the game.

"That's Niklaus? Your brother?" She asks warily, because of course Kol neglected to mention that his brother was gorgeous. "You look nothing alike."

"He prefers Klaus actually. And it's mother's genes." Kol supplies. "Rebekah is the same, with the blonde hair and all."

"Looks like he's headed for a goal." Katherine points out from beside them, having remained silent up until this point in time.

Caroline turns her gaze back to the figure in the red jersey streaking towards the opposition goal with the ball at his feet.

The skill displayed is astounding, as Klaus manoeuvres around two players, jumping to avoid the tackle of another. He outstrips them all after a few moments, and seconds later the ball is thundering into the back of the net.

The box she's in is slightly more dignified, but the crowd before them erupts into screams as Klaus' team mates rush towards him in victory. He's magnified on the big screen, and he punches a fist into the air as he finally lets a smile creep across his face.

It makes him look softer, more human, and she tunes out Kol and Katherine as they discuss technique and the shot that Klaus took previously.

Klaus leads his team to victory half an hour later, and the wives and girlfriends immediately fall into excited chatter once the final whistle blows.

She turns to Kol, who seems full of energy despite the late hour.

"What now?" She asks of him, as Katherine gets to her feet and slings her bag over her shoulder.

"I'm going to head off Kol. Lovely to meet you Caroline." Katherine offers her a curt nod, which she returns in kind, watching the brunette stalk across the room towards the elevators.

"She's kind of scary." Caroline admits to Kol, who just laughs softly.

"She liked you. And she's fiercely protective when it comes to family. She and Klaus get along well and she usually tries to catch any game that she can. But to answer your question, I usually hang around and wait for Klaus. It'll take about half an hour, but if you want to head home I'll catch up with him another time."

"Don't miss spending time with your brother on my account. It's fine, really. I kind of want to meet him as well, after hearing so much about him. And seeing him play." She adds thoughtfully.

Kol looks uncomfortable.

"Caroline, I should probably tell you…"

The elevator opens with a ding and another tall, stunning, brunette saunters languidly through the doors. If she didn't know better she would say that it's Katherine coming back to pick up something she'd forgotten, but the skin tight dress betrays the other women's identity.

The woman zeroes in on Kol and for a moment scowls in displeasure. It's a micro expression, a blink and you miss it moment, and Kol looks just as enthusiastic to see the brunette as she does him.

"Tatia. What a pleasant surprise." Kol begins through gritted teeth as the other woman stops in front of them, eyes sweeping around the box in displeasure.

"They won I presume?" Tatia asks in a bored tone, inspecting her finely manicured nails.

"Yes. Two to nil if you'd care to know." Kol supplies as she gapes at the other woman, wondering how another human being can be so damn _rude._

As if sensing her gaze, Tatia turns and meets her eyes, giving her a languid once over.

"Is this your new flavour of the month darling?"

Kol rolls his eyes, giving her a warning look.

"Tatia this is Caroline Forbes. She's staying with my fiancee and I for awhile while she recovers from her injury. Caroline, this is Tatia Petrova."

"Klaus' girlfriend." Tatia fills in the blanks as Kol looks uncomfortable.

Caroline can't help but arch an eyebrow in surprise at this particular piece of information, something that Kol had failed to mention earlier. She recognises Tatia now, one fourth of a girl band big over here in the UK.

"Tell him I'll be waiting in the car won't you?" Tatia turns on her heel, making a beeline for the elevator, pushing a shorter brunette out of the way.

Kol sighs, turning back towards her.

"God she's an absolute bitch." Kol pronounces with great relish. "I didn't realise that she was planing on coming tonight, I'm sorry you had to meet her in the first place."

"That's Klaus' girlfriend?" She asks incredulously, because for all of the good things that she's heard about him, she refuses to believe that he would date someone who held such disdain for other people.

"Unfortunately." Kol replies. "Rebekah and Katherine both hate her."

"And you?" She asks, sipping at the remnants of her drink.

Kol gives her a twisted smile, but before he can answer, the door on the opposite side of the room twists open and the players begin spilling into the room, dampened by the showers and with tired smiles on their faces.

Klaus is the last to enter the room, and she can see his face light up when he spots his younger brother, weaving his way through the crowd of people, stopping before Kol.

Kol pulls Klaus into a hug, clapping him on the back briefly.

"Nice game brother."

"I didn't think you were coming tonight." Klaus replies, ruffling Kol's hair playfully. "Aren't you meant to be out at Oxford?"

"Shuffled a few things around." Kol says with a laugh, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Klaus, this is Caroline Forbes. She's staying with Bon and I for awhile."

Klaus turns his gaze on her, and she's very aware of his crystalline eyes, the barely concealed interest on his face as he takes her in from head to toe, lingering on her crutches.

"I'm sure there's an interesting story behind that." Klaus remarks lightly as she shrugs as a way of reply.

"Sports injury. It prevented me from competing in the World Championships." She remarks a little coolly as Klaus grimaces apologetically.

"My apologies. I should not have made a joke out of it. You're an athlete?"

"A gymnast." She supplies, watching as his face dawns with comprehension. "I'm hoping to be well enough to captain my team at the next Games."

She doesn't need to elaborate further, knowing that Klaus would know to what Games she's referring too. The Olympics, of course.

"Well then, I wish you a speedy recovery." Klaus inclines his head towards her, Kol watching their whole conversation unfold with barely concealed amusement.

"Yes well, speaking of recoveries, Caroline has a date with her physiotherapist tomorrow, so we'd best get going before the clock strikes midnight and she turns into a pumpkin." Kol interjects, slapping his brother on the shoulder again. "We'll see you around. Don't be a stranger." He adds to his brother a little bossily.

Klaus looks amused, but slings his sports bag over his shoulder and tosses his brother a salute.

"As you command, brother. I'd best be off as well, I'm sure the she devil is waiting for me." Klaus says, no doubt referring to Tatia's dramatic exit before hand.

Kol steers her towards the elevator with a sigh.

"Don't ask, sometimes I wonder what's going on in his head if he's stuck around her for this long."

She doesn't respond, knowing that it's not her place. They manoeuvre into the elevator carefully, and she turns.

The last thing she sees before the doors slide shut in front of her is Klaus' curious expression as he watches her go.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, so I've had the idea for this AU/AH bouncing around in my head for well over a year now and I've been dying to begin writing it. I can't promise regular updates on this one due to the current craziness of my life, but as always, this will be completed.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! See you on the other side**

 **xx**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. if I did, The Originals would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

"Look at you, you're practically a Brit now." Caroline teases as Bonnie pours both of them out a cup of tea from the ceramic tea pot, before setting it carefully back on the table.

Bonnie just rolls her eyes, shoving the milk jug towards her.

"Just because I like tea these days does not make me a Brit Care. You can take the girl out of America, but you can't take the America out of the girl. Besides, this is probably better for you than coffee."

"I will concede that point." Caroline replies with a laugh, stirring in some sugar and adding the milk. "Seriously though Bon, it's so nice to be here with you."

"I couldn't believe my ears when Damon rang to tell me what happened. How are you coping with everything?" Bonnie asks carefully, cradling her own mug between her hands, impervious to the heat radiating from the ceramic.

"Honestly? I'm still trying to comprehend what it all means. I'm nervous about today. What if he tells me that I'm not going to be able to compete again? What if it's all for nothing?" Caroline asks of her oldest friend.

It had been something that had been weighing on her mind ever since Alaric told her the news that he was sending her across the Pond to aid her recovery. She wanted more than anything to be able to compete one last time on the world stage, the sport her life blood.

Gymnastics had been all that she had known for as long as she could remember. Her mom always used to say that she could tumble before she could walk. A joke, but always an amusing one nonetheless.

She hadn't concocted a Plan B, had no idea what she was going to do if she couldn't compete at an elite level again. She could go to college maybe, but she had no idea what she wanted to do, who she wanted to be beyond gymnastics.

"Care, if I recall what Alaric is like, I highly doubt he would have spent all of this money to get you across here if he thought you weren't going to make a proper recovery. I'm sure he had plenty of conversations with your doctors before making the decision. He's just trying to do what's best for you. It'll be fine. Trust me, okay?" Bonnie says quietly, taking a sip of her tea with a content smile.

Caroline does the same, searching around for a suitable subject change.

"You have to tell me about how you and Kol met, because seriously the two of you are like chalk and cheese Bon. Spill." She demands of her friend, who simply tilts her head back and laughs, taking care not to spill hot tea into her lap.

"It's sort of crazy, isn't it?" Bonnie confides in her. "I was working in the Oncology ward on rotation and they circulated that this scientist from Oxford was coming in to do a lecture. I never really went to them, I always did think that they were a waste of time. Plus, all the lecturers were always really old, and really boring."

Bonnie takes a breath before continuing.

"But one of my friends had heard good things about this mysterious Kol Mikaelson, and practically begged me to come along. It had been a slow day in the ward, so I took some time to go along. Kol was so captivating, so passionate about what he was presenting. It was totally ground breaking, what he was talking about, and so complex. My friend ended up falling asleep part way through, but after he'd finished I went over to him and we got to talking."

Bonnie smiles in remembrance of the moment, obviously a fond memory for her.

"He waited for three hours in the hospital foyer for my shift to finish, and didn't voice a word of complaint the whole time. Three hours, and then he took me out for coffee, and walked me home. It sort of went from there after that."

"That's so sweet Bon." Caroline says with a smile, her respect for Kol racking up a notch. "We had a really great time at the game last night. He seems like a sweet guy."

"Really? I'm so glad you think so. I know Kol can be a bit over the top at times, but I really love him. Did you get to meet Klaus? What did you think?"

Caroline takes another sip of her tea to mask her own smile. She of course, wouldn't admit to Bonnie that she'd Googled Klaus after the game, if only to find out a little more about him. She very carefully avoided anything that mentioned his personal life of course, well aware of how frustrating it was to have everyone know your business.

"He was good." She settles for saying as Bonnie raises a single eyebrow.

"Good? Caroline I might be engaged to my brother, but even I can admit that Klaus is ridiculously swoon worthy. Come on, he didn't charm you with those baby blue eyes of his?" Bonnie asks teasingly.

"Well he didn't exactly have the chance. We only met briefly. He seemed nice. Tatia was waiting for him."

A look of disgust crosses Bonnie's face at the mention of the singer.

"God I really don't know why he's with her. Klaus has impeccable taste in everything except for women it would seem."

"You know, I think that's the meanest thing I've ever heard you say Bonnie Bennett." It's her turn to tease her friend, who pokes her tongue out playfully as a way of reply.

"Yeah well trust me, she deserves it. Come on, time to go or you'll be late for your appointment."

* * *

"Mom?" She laughs into the phone after seeing the caller I.D "What time is it over there?" She asks as she balances her crutches against her knees, glancing around the stark, white waiting room to make sure that she's not disturbing anyone.

"Oh not too late sweetie. I just wanted to call you before your big appointment, to wish you luck. How are you feeling? Is the knee okay?" Her mom asks concernedly, tone warm despite the distance between them.

While it had been her dad that had pushed her into gymnastics when she was younger and decidedly more clumsier than she was now, it had been her mom that had been her biggest cheerleader.

Her mom had been the one to drive her to all her meets, even across state borders when they had to travel and couldn't afford to fly. It was her mom that had learnt all of the complicated hairstyles needed to keep stray curls in place, had learnt how to best take care of her leotards and sports gear.

Her mom, despite her busy job as the Sheriff of their small town, had made it to every single competition, even when she was old enough to drive herself to her meets.

It had broken her heart to be separated from her mom, when Alaric had given her the order to fly over to London.

"The knee is fine Mom, I've been taking good care of it just as the doctor ordered. I'm just waiting to meet my physio now."

"Are you nervous?" Her Mom repeats the question, probably the question that she most wants the answer to, if only to see where her daughter's head was at.

"A little." Caroline admits out loud. "I don't know how this is going to go, and it terrifies me."

"You'll be fine." Her mom reassures her. "And if it isn't we'll figure something out okay? You know I'll always support you, no matter what the outcome is today."

The receptionist is waving to get her attention, and she acknowledges by raising her head.

"Mom, I think I'm up, I should go before I cement my status as that rude American girl." She quips with laugh. "Thanks for calling, I love you."

"I love you too sweetheart. Call me after, let me know how it goes okay?"

"Caroline Forbes? Enzo will see you now." The girl smiles at her warmly, standing and gesturing for her to head down the hallway towards the door at the end.

She manoeuvres carefully, crutches sinking into the carpet as the door swings open.

She's struck at first by just how _young_ Enzo Augustine is. One of the top sports physiotherapists in the world, she knew nothing beyond the fact that he was apparently buddies with Alaric and owed him a favour.

And then of course, there was the fact that Enzo was quite handsome, with the dark hair and the warm eyes and the wide smile.

"Make yourself at home Caroline." Enzo waves her into his office, closing the door gently behind her as she takes in the large space.

It's bright, full of pops of colour that set off the white walls nicely. Enzo's qualifications are hanging framed on the wall, and she's impressed when she sees the crest of Oxford University stamped in the corner.

There are other framed photographs, of Enzo with some of his clients. Lionel Messi, Andy Murray, Tom Daley, and Serena Williams were just a few of the famous faces frozen in time.

Enzo notices that her attention has wandered and seats himself behind his desk.

"I really do need to take those down. It makes me look like a bit of a wanker, doesn't it?" He asks amiably as she finally turns, hopping towards one of the soft leather seats in front of his desk.

"You said it, not me." She finally remarks, shocked at her own admission.

To her surprise, instead of being insulted, Enzo laughs warmly.

"I appreciate your candour. So Ms Forbes, how's the knee been treating you these past few days?" Enzo asks carefully, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers together.

"A little sore. Tender in the morning when I wake up, but the pain is nowhere near as bad as what it used to be."

Enzo nods thoughtfully, tapping his fingers against the desk.

"Well I'll cut right to the point, because I'm sure you've been quite nervous in the lead up to this appointment. The doctors sent me your X Rays and subsequent post op notes."

Enzo pauses for breath, and she can't help but lean forward a little in anticipation, knowing that what he says next could well determine her future for the time being.

Enzo's smile is wide.

"It's good news Ms Forbes. Your recovery so far has been quite remarkable, from what I've read. I'll do a few preliminary tests today, but I have every reason to believe that you'll be able to compete again at an elite level, with the right care and attention of course." Enzo adds reassuringly.

"Oh my god." Caroline lets out a sigh, letting her face fall into her hands, shoulders heaving with happy laughter. "Are you serious? I can really compete again?"

"Deadly serious Ms Forbes." Enzo replies warmly. "It'll be slow going, and you'll be tempted to step up your training right away with The Olympics on next year. But I'm confident you'll be fit and in fighting form by the time that occasion takes place."

"Thank you so much." She breathes out, letting the smile take over her face.

"I haven't done anything yet. But to start with, how about we lose the crutches and go for a walk. Tell me a bit about yourself."

She hesitates, half raised out of her chair as she looks to Enzo for reassurance.

"Are you sure? The doctors said…"

"The crutches were a precaution post op. While you certainly needed them in the fortnight or so following your surgery, they were used merely to get you here in one piece while you were travelling. We'll take it slow of course, but if you feel comfortable we can start training without them."

As it turns out 'training' for that morning turned out to be a short walk around Enzo's office, with her leaning heavily on his arm as he guided her around the space. She felt like a child starting to walk again, Enzo watching her the whole time for signs of discomfort or pain.

Once she was seated again, Enzo flashes her another smile before switching on the monitor of his sleek looking Mac, no doubt pulling up her patient file.

"You're further along than I expected Caroline, which is great news. I'm going to give you some exercises to do, just some gentle stretches to get your muscles working again. I'd also suggest finding a gym and starting off with some walking on the treadmill. Nothing strenuous, just to get you moving again. Your knee will get stronger with time, and we can move to light jogging once all of the pain is gone."

"So I take it I won't be doing any tumbling any time soon?" She asks with a wry smile as Enzo passes her over a piece of paper he's just printed off. She glances down at the list of stretches and exercises he'd prescribed her.

"Nope." Enzo replies promptly. "Not unless you'd like to do irreparable damage to your knee and put yourself out of running for The Olympics. You'll tumble when I say you're ready, and not a moment sooner. Understood?"

She tosses Enzo a mock salute as he laughs, standing and pulling open the door for her.

"It was lovely to finally meet you Caroline. I'll ask Regina out front to point you towards a great gym I'd recommend. I'll also get her to give you my card. Feel free to call at any time if you have any questions or concerns. How about we make an appointment every fortnight to see how you're tracking?"

Taking that as her cue to leave, Caroline stands, grabbing her crutches and tucking them under her arm. Her progress is slow, and she senses that it's going to be frustrating in the coming weeks until her knee is stronger, but if it's patience that's needed to make progress then she'll suffer through it if need be.

* * *

The first thing she sees upon entering the gym scrawled on the piece of paper that Regina at the reception of Enzo's practice had given her is Klaus Mikaelson.

A shirtless Klaus Mikaelson, doing chin ups at an impressive rate. He's facing away from her thank god, otherwise he would totally catch her ogling him. The muscles in his back and shoulders ripple with each sharp movement he makes to pull himself up the bar, and there's a slight sheen of sweat that catches under the bright lights of the gym.

"Can I help you?" The girl at the desk gives her an amused if not somewhat sympathetic smile, and Caroline forces herself to turn bodily, giving the girl her whole attention.

"Yes. Right. I just came from Enzo Augustine's office and he recommended this gym for me."

At the mention of Enzo's name the girl seems to brighten a little.

"You're one of his patients?" She asks curiously, pulling a clipboard out from underneath the counter and handing her a pen. "Just start filling in your details." The girl adds as Caroline takes both from her and follows instructions.

"Yes I am. I'm recovering from a sports injury." Caroline supplies as the other girl gives her a quick glance.

"I can sign you up for a personal trainer if you'd like? We have a whole roster of them that are very experienced with rehabilitative exercise."

"Maybe in a week or two. Enzo just wanted me to take it easy for now. But thank you, for the offer." Caroline replies, finishing filling out her bank account details as she hears footsteps from behind her.

"Now what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" Klaus' accent is almost a drawl as he leans up against the counter beside her. "Caroline, right?"

She refrains from rolling her eyes at the cheesy line, mentally preparing herself before glancing towards him. There's a towel slung around his neck, but the view from the front is just as impressive as the view from the back, all sharp edges and deep lines tapering down into his shorts.

"Fancy meeting you here." She replies lightly, not really sure how to continue the conversation.

Klaus gives her a quick grin as she slides the clipboard full of her information back across the counter, to where the girl is staring dreamily at Klaus.

"I take it you've been given good news if you're signing yourself up to gyms now?" He continues conversationally, stepping away from the counter and heading back across the gym floor. Forced to keep up unless she seem rude, she falls into step with him, albeit at a slightly slower pace. It's still strange, manoeuvring around without crutches.

"I'm good to go on the knee, but retraining it will take time." She answers as Klaus bends down, shrugging a shirt over his head and tossing the towel on top of his open gym bag.

"I don't envy you at all sweetheart. Injuries can be a bitch."

She lets Klaus show her around the gym floor and the facilities, surprised at how easily conversation seems to flow between the two of them. It helps, that they have sport in common, makes it an easy topic of conversation to fall back on when the silence stretches between them.

"So how long are you going to be here for?" Klaus asks curiously, after she's checked in with the girl at the desk to make sure she's provided all of the right information so she can start using the facilities.

"I'm not really sure to be honest." Klaus has slung his sports bag over his shoulder as they both head towards the door. "I definitely have to be back in America to qualify for the Games, but apart from that however long it takes for my knee to recover I suppose."

Klaus holds the door open for her as they emerge into the cool afternoon, the hustle and bustle of London flooding her senses with sound. She notes the chivalrous gesture with a soft smile.

"Well it'll be nice to have a new face around. Kol speaks very highly of you, for what it's worth."

"He's a good man. He and Bonnie make each other very happy." She replies, as Klaus gives her a smile.

"And you? You haven't left anyone behind in America?" The question is delivered in an innocent tone, it takes her a few moments to realise that he's asking if she's _single._

Why would he be asking if she's single, if he already has a girlfriend? She muses his question over in her head for a second or two before laughing.

"In between training and putting myself in hospital with a torn ACL, my personal life is a bit of a mess at the moment. No boyfriend." She clarifies for him.

"Let me drop you off at Kol's house." Klaus suddenly says, startling her out of her train of thought. "It's on my way."

"I'm fine, really. It's not far too walk, and it'll be good for my knee." She replies politely as Klaus gives her an odd smile.

"Okay then." He accepts with another quick smile. "Be careful. Don't push it too hard." His eyes flick towards her knee briefly before reaching out to touch her shoulder gently, as if to steady her, ground her.

She watches as he heads for his car, turning and giving her a non committal nod before sliding into the drivers seat of his SUV.

And she tries to push away the butterflies in her stomach as she turns and heads towards the nearest intersection.

She was so screwed.

* * *

"How did signing up for the gym go?" Kol asks as she pulls the door of the penthouse shut behind her, toeing off her sneakers with a frown.

"How did you know about that?" She calls out in reply as she rounds the corner, entering the kitchen where Kol has his sleeves rolled up, chopping vegetables for whatever the hell he's cooking tonight.

Kol's eyes flick towards his laptop briefly, before returning his attention to the task at hand.

"You're in the Daily Mail, along with a description of your hairstyle and of your outfit which, might I add, made the 'mystery blonde' look quite radiant." Kol quips with a roll of the eyes.

"Give me that!" Caroline exclaims, lunging across the counter for Kol's MacBook. She turns the laptop towards her, eyes scanning over the article quickly, groaning softly as she's realised what exactly has happened.

Although she wasn't exactly known to the British paparazzi, which suited her just fine thank you very much, apparently Klaus was. And apparently the Daily Mail were always interested in any woman who was seen in closer proximity to Klaus.

Today, that woman was her.

"Oh god they're painting me as some sort of mystery scarlet woman." Caroline groans, dropping her face into her hand.

"My brother can be quite the charmer." Kol answers with a chuckle, scraping the vegetables to the side and leaning on his elbows. "And the paparazzi can be quite invasive. Try not to worry your pretty little head over it too much."

"His girlfriend is going to murder him. And possibly me."

"Tatia?" Kol voices out loud. "Yes, probably. But Klaus has always been good at diffusing situations like this. I'm sure it will all blow over in a couple of days. Seriously. Darling, relax." Kol adds, catching sight of the look on her face no doubt.

The next moment, Kol is leaning forward, one hand closing the laptop gently.

"Put it out of your mind Caroline. Now, how about you fill me in on how your physio appointment went?"

She soon finds that after a few minutes spent with Kol, she is all too happy to oblige.

* * *

 **AN:** **  
**

 **Guys, I was seriously blown away by the response to the first chapter of Fever Pitch! Thank you to all who read, reviewed, or favorited, it seriously meant the world to me. Especially because this is a story that I've just been dying to share with you all.**

 **Two interactions with Klaus in two chapters? What do we think so far? And are you loving the Koroline brotp?**

 **The nature of Klaus' relationship with Tatia will be revealed soon, as well as why the two of them are even together considering how much everyone else seems to dislike her.**

 **The role of the media will also play a large part in this story. The DailyMail is trash, but it's a guilty pleasure of mine.**

 **We also got introduced to Enzo, who will play a large part in this story.**

 **I'll see you on the other side, and would love to know your thoughts on this chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, The Originals would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

"Is there anything I need to be concerned about?" Alaric asks mildly, voice crackling over the line as she scrolls through the article again on her laptop. "Although I have to admit, loved the breakdown of your active wear, the Daily Mail is really kicking goals nowadays." He adds somewhat bemusedly.

"It's fine Ric, really." She promises, shutting the lid of her laptop gently. "I've bumped into Klaus a few times and I'm staying with his younger brother, who happens to be my best friend's fiance. We were bound to cross paths eventually."

"I'm more concerned about the fact that he's an unnecessary distraction. I don't want you to forget why you're there." His voice is gentle, and she just sighs, running a hand through her hair.

She'd had her first true taste of London weather today, caught in a sudden downpour, the sky absolutely blanketed with clouds of grey. The rain hadn't let up throughout the afternoon, and she'd resigned herself to the fact that today was probably going to be a rest day given traffic was hell and it would take her far longer to reach the gym than usual.

"Klaus is in a highly publicised relationship, and no, I don't plan on being that girl that comes between him and his ridiculously famous girlfriend. I know why I'm here Ric, and you can bet that I'm going to lead that team to Gold."

"I'm glad to hear it. I was worried for a second there that you'd lost your spark. Look, I know you're not going to like this, but I've arranged an interview with a reporter tomorrow from Time magazine."

She groans softly into the phone. She loves what she does, really, but she's never been a fan of the press. She's been burned far too many times in the past, has had her words twisted beyond comprehension on multiple occasions.

"I know what you're thinking, but this is a good opportunity for you. Obviously there has been a mixture of curiosity and concern about what this injury means for both you and Team USA, and I think people will be glad to know that you're still in with a fighting chance. And it's Time Magazine Caroline, not People Magazine."

"Where am I meeting him then?" Caroline asks in resigned tones. "And what will this interview be about exactly?"

"I've put the two of you in touch via email." Alaric explains patiently. "And I promise you, the tone of the interview will be nothing but positive. He just wants to ask you a couple of questions about how you're doing with recovery and what your aspirations are for the Games. Pretty run of the mill stuff that I'm confident you can handle, otherwise I wouldn't have signed you up for it."

"Yeah I know. I'll do it. I would prefer a little bit more of a warning next time though." She replies pointedly, propping the phone between her ear and shoulder as she pulls the laptop towards her once more.

"Noted. Alright, I've got to go. Donovan's form has been absolutely awful on beam and we have a lot of work to do before next year. Keep me posted with how you're going?"

"You know it. Laters, Ric."

She tosses the phone onto the bed once she hears the click and the familiar dial tone.

She can't help but look around the familiar furnishings of her bedroom, happy in the knowledge that she feels _good._

There had been some dark days, during her injury when she had thought that it was the end of the line for her. Gymnastics was a high risk sport, and she'd been pushing her body to the absolute brink for as long as she could remember.

During those days, it had been hard to get out of bed, hard to care about anything as the pain threatened to overwhelm her, even post op when she should have been recovering.

Alaric had been rattled, she could tell, and had employed the best sports psychologist he could find to help her out of the funk she'd fallen into.

People always underestimated what a massive hit to the confidence it was whenever an athlete got injured. Usually as a result of human error, either by the individual in question or another person, it was enough to challenge even her previously held set of beliefs.

But now something was different. She didn't know if it was the change of environment or if it was the people that she surrounded herself with, but something had definitely changed.

And right now, she would take that and run with it.

* * *

It's on a rainy Tuesday morning that she finds herself slipping through the door of one of her favourite cafes, a friendly smile in place for the regular barista behind the counter, who immediately starts preparing her a latte.

She pulls her beanie from her head, eyes landing on the man in the corner grinning at her. Taking note of the recorder and note pad in front of him, she deduces that this is the man that she's looking for.

"Steven? Caroline Forbes." She introduces herself with an outstretched hand, the other man taking it with a smile. "Apologies for my lateness, the Tube was packed this morning."

"Lovely to meet you Caroline. And no problem at all, I'm not in any particular rush. Thank you for meeting with me, I've been eager to talk to you for some time now."

There's nothing creepy about his statement, just professionalism and the slightest hint of curiosity.

She sits down opposite him, the barista coming over to set her coffee in front of her. She lets out a murmured thanks, stirring some sugar into the hot drink, disturbing the thin layer of foam on top.

Steven is a good interviewer she very quickly discovers. He has a charming and somewhat exuberant manager, and he's an expressive talker, gesturing with his hands as he shares a story or an anecdote.

It's less of a catch up and more of an informal conversation, and she even finds herself paying very little attention to the recorder he has sitting on the table. They talk about everything from how she got her start in gymnastics, to how she juggled it while she was at high school, to how she felt after her injury and how she's feeling now.

An hour and a half goes past before Steven glances at his watch, giving her a somewhat regretful smile.

"I think we're going to have to wrap things here I'm afraid. I have another appointment in twenty minutes and I'm probably going to be horribly late given the weather."

She chances a glance out the window, noting the torrential rain outside.

"I'm sorry for holding you up." She replies with a quick smile.

"Not at all." Steven replies, tucking everything into his briefcase and reaching for the umbrella. "So easy to lose track of time. I haven't had an interview as easy as this for at least 20 years. A pleasure Ms Forbes, and best of luck for the future."

He makes a motion at her like he's tipping his cap and she hides her laughter. She liked Steven, reminded her of the man that her father used to be before he walked out and left her and her mom to fend for themselves.

"Will you send me a copy of the article?" She calls after him as he pauses at the door.

"Of course. You'll get final approval before it goes to print."

She waits five minutes for the rain to calm somewhat before reaching for her own umbrella, flipping up the collar of her coat.

The air is cold as she pushes out into the street, joining the throngs of Londoners on the sidewalk, trying not to get swept along with the crowd.

It takes a moment for her to get her bearings, to figure out what direction the closest Tube station is. She ducks into the awning of a florist for a moment, pulling her phone out of her pocket and moving out of the way of one of the customers exiting the shop.

"We really need to stop meeting like this sweetheart."

She looks up in shock, recognising that voice. Klaus' face is obscured by the stunning bunch of flowers that he's carrying, a dazzling array of orchids and roses and peonies.

"Klaus?" She asks incredulously, because seriously, what are the odds of running into him in a city as huge as London?

"The one and only." He replies, peeking around the side of the bouquet. "You look lost. Can I help you get where you need to go?"

"Nice flowers." She comments instead, reaching out to touch one of the orchids gently. "For Tatia? You're not grovelling aren't you?"

Klaus looks faintly amused at her question.

"No they're not for Tatia. And I don't grovel. Seriously though, you're acting like a tourist who's out of their depth. Can I give you a ride somewhere?"

She pauses at his question and he senses her hesitation.

"Look, it's absolutely torrential out there, and I would feel like a horrible person making you walk anywhere in that weather. I can drop you off at Kol's and then I'll be on my way. That's it."

"The press…" She trails off a little helplessly as Klaus lets out a sigh.

"The likelihood of the press hanging out anywhere in this part of town is highly unlikely. It's why I frequent this florist, apart from the fact they're the best in this city. Let me take you home before you injure yourself again in the crowd." Klaus states firmly, shifting the bouquet to one arm, the other resting lightly on her lower back as he steers them onto the pavement once more.

She ducks under her umbrella, trying to hold it high enough for him to fit under if he desires. He doesn't make any move to get closer, seemingly unbothered by the rain as he takes his car keys out of his back pocket and aims the central locking device at the black Maserati.

Klaus leans forward to open the door for her, and she should be surprised by his chivalry by this point. Instead she just gives him a grateful smile as she slides into the warm interior of the sports car, dropping her handbag on the floor and sinking back into the leather seat.

Klaus joins her a few seconds later, revving the engine before pulling out into the traffic.

"Nice car." She comments, still a little awed by the ostentatious display of wealth. "What did you buy this one for?"

Klaus glances at her with an amused smile.

"I've had this one for years actually. Got it when I signed on with my current team. It's got enough room in the trunk for all my gear."

"Handy. Have you always lived in London?" She continues her gentle questioning, still not sure just how open Klaus is to having near strangers ask about his personal life.

"No, I grew up in Wiltshire. I didn't move to London until I got signed. How are you going with your training?" He asks politely, both hands on the wheel as he manoeuvres through the heavy traffic with ease.

"Slowly, but surely. Obviously there's not a lot I can do right now until my knee strengthens up, but I'm feeling good. Like I'm actually in with a fighting chance. My knee still gets a bit achy every now and then which is frustrating. And a little scary."

"I've got something that can help with that. I'll bring you some next time I come around to Kol's."

"Thank you." She replies with a smile, touched by his thoughtfulness. "That's very kind of you."

Klaus gives her a lazy smile and they soon lapse into a comfortable silence, punctuated only by occasional beeping of traffic and the pop song playing over the car's sound system.

Sooner rather than later, Klaus is drawing to a halt out the front of Kol's building.

"I believe this is your stop. Stay warm and dry, the city is meant to take a lashing over the next few days." Klaus instructs her quietly, windscreen wipers swishing away.

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the ride. I'll see you around?" She asks the question, not really sure if she wants to hear the answer.

"Count on it sweetheart." He confirms with a wry smile as she pushes open the door.

She tries not to look back at him as she hears the rev of the engine once more.

* * *

"Caroline, can you get that?" Kol calls from the kitchen. "Bonnie's still in the shower and I'm a little preoccupied."

She puts down the book she'd been reading and rests it on the couch beside her before getting to her feet.

"Of course." She replies, raising her voice for Kol's benefit. It was the least she could do considering Kol was cooking an entire meal by himself for them tonight. It was a weird quirk of his, he hated having anyone helping him in the kitchen, insisted on preparing every ingredient of the dish on his own.

It doesn't take long to cross the foyer of the penthouse, and then she's wrenching the door open, blinking in surprise as Klaus Mikaelson of all people gives her a charming smile. It had only been a few hours since they'd parted ways. It was strange, seeing him here.

"Good evening Caroline." He begins smoothly as she casts her gaze over him, immediately wishing that she'd put just a little bit more effort into her appearance tonight.

He's dressed down, jeans, boots, a leather jacket that hugs his upper body. He's got a bunch of very familiar flowers in the crook of one arm and a bottle of wine held in the other, and she immediately steps forward to help him.

"Klaus." She finally stutters in surprise as his smile changes from charming to amused. "I wasn't expecting to see you tonight. Come in, of course." She steps back out of the doorway to let him through.

"These are for you." He hands her the flowers, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek that has her reeling. "Apologies that you've been dragged into the tabloids because of me."

The flowers are as stunning as she remembers, an arrangement of orchids and roses and peonies that are practically bursting with colour. They're heavier than she thought they'd be, and she looks over the top of the bouquet at Klaus, appreciating the thoughtful gesture, trying not to read to much into it.

"Thank you. It's okay, really. I hope it didn't get you into to much trouble with your girlfriend." She remarks somewhat pointedly, trying to set some boundaries between them.

She's not dumb, she recognises that Klaus is stupidly attractive with the ideal personality to match the exterior. But she will absolutely not be the one to come between somebody's relationship. She's seen what it does to people, saw how Elena Gilbert from her gymnastics team single handedly destroyed the sibling relationship between Stefan and Damon Salvatore by dating both of them, one after the other.

She would not be that girl.

Instead of frowning like she expects him to, Klaus flashes her a quick smile.

"Nothing I couldn't handle love." He reassures her as he steps further into the apartment, calling out for his brother.

Bonnie appears from the hallway in the next instant, eyes landing on the flowers and arching a single eyebrow. She just shrugs as Bonnie sighs, crossing the room and opening one of the cabinets, pulling out a crystal vase.

"What are those for?" Bonnie drops her voice as Kol and Klaus greet each other amiably, back slaps and jostling included.

"Apology flowers." She replies with a sigh. "For being in the tabloids because of him."

"A little heavy handed." Bonnie remarks with a chuckle. "But such a Klaus thing to do."

"Can I tempt you ladies?" Kol is holding out the bottle with a grin. "I was going to make margaritas, but my classier older brother went one better and liberated this from the family cellar. Excellent vintage."

"Count me in." Bonnie replies with a grin, squeezing past her fiancé to the sink, filling up the vase with water.

Caroline steps towards the counter, waving off Kol's offer with a polite smile, handing Bonnie the flowers.

"I'm fine, thanks. Trying to be good." She clarifies upon seeing Kol's confused expression.

"Nonsense Caroline, it's a Saturday. It's not going to kill you." Kol replies with a snort. Klaus is already overruling her, pouring out the wine into four glasses.

"For once in my life, I happen to agree with my brother." Klaus remarks somewhat amusedly as Kol rolls his eyes. "Live a little sweetheart."

"Fine." She replies with a sigh, taking the wine glass that Klaus passes over to her. "It seems I've bee outvoted."

"That's the spirit!" Kol cheers, taking a swig of his own glass.

She soon finds herself drifting away from the rest of the group, bright sunshine breaking through the windows as the clouds slowly roll away, west towards the countryside.

Craving the fresh air, it doesn't take much to crack open the balcony door a little, squeezing through the small opening, the cool afternoon sunlight surprisingly warm. Taking a sip from her drink she can't help but admire London spread out before her, the height that she's at slightly dizzying from this vantage point.

"It's a hell of a view, don't you think?" Klaus asks rhetorically, stepping up next to her, curling one hand around the reinforced balcony railing.

"A little too high for my tastes." She replies honestly, stepping slightly away from the edge with a quick smile towards Klaus.

"A gymnast with a height issue. Not something I thought I'd ever hear." Klaus teases lightly, clinking his glass against hers before draining the rest of his wine.

She feels comfortable enough in his presence to reach out and hit him in the arm playfully. He winces theatrically, and she can't help but let laughter spill from her lips.

"Two or three metres I'm fine with. But this is something else. It's stunning." She admits, more to herself than to him as she casts her gaze out over the city once more.

"We can go inside if you'd like." Klaus gestures over his shoulder to where Bonnie and Kol are obviously deep in discussion, heads bent intimately together.

"I'd rather not disturb the lovebirds to be honest. I already feel awful for basically taking up habitation in their spare room." She replies with a laugh.

Klaus smiles, an actual genuine smile. It's a nice look on him.

"Are you sure you didn't get in too much trouble with your girlfriend? I would have hated to be the cause of tension between the two of you."

The subject change is abrupt and she can tell that she's caught Klaus by surprise, if the stunned expression on his face is anything to go off.

"Tatia is…" He trails off helplessly, toying with the now empty wine glass between his fingers. "Tatia isn't my girlfriend. Not like that."

Okay, now she is officially confused.

"I have absolutely no idea what that means Klaus." She tells it to him straight, and he looks slightly sheepish.

"My best friend Marcel is her PR representation." He replies. "Tatia was getting herself into a bit of trouble, and he asked me to help keep her on the straight and narrow. We're fake dating Caroline." He clarifies upon catching sight of her still confused expression.

"Fake dating?" She asks incredulously. "Is that even a thing? Why is that even a thing?"

Klaus looks slightly amused by something. Her naiveté?

"Because as you very well know, anyone high profile is subject to intense scrutiny. Singers usually have it worse than sportspeople. I owed Marcel a favour, and agreed to help for a certain amount of time."

"And why are you telling me this?" She angles her body towards him, meeting his gaze with a defiant tilt of her chin.

Klaus' lips curl into a smile.

"I enjoy you." He replies bluntly, clearly not mincing his words. "You're beautiful and you're strong, and I'd like to get to know you Caroline."

The whole sentence, delivered in his to die for accent, is almost enough to make her melt then and there. Instead, she finishes her drink and leans in towards him.

"It's a shame." She pronounces lightly with a shrug. "Because you see, as stupidly charming and good looking as you are Klaus, you're also a distraction. And at this point in my recovery, not one that I'm willing to get myself tangled up in."

Klaus raises a single eyebrow, somewhat taken aback by her nonchalance.

"So. Friends then?" He asks politely holding out his hand for her. She shakes it briefly, squeezing past him to head towards the apartment.

"Friends. And no more flowers."

His startled laughter is the last thing she hears before she's sliding the door shut behind her.

* * *

 **AN: And here's Chapter 3! Apologies for the delay on this one, hope you all enjoy!**

 **You all know how much I love my slow burns... stay tuned to see just how long Klaus and Caroline as 'friends' actually lasts.**

 **See you on the other side! Don't forget to let me know what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or its characters. If I did, The Originals would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

Katherine Pierce lifts a hand in greeting as she slips through the doors of the pub, the other woman perched cross legged on a stool.

Katherine is dressed stylishly as usual, leather pants that make her legs look a mile long, a white blouse and a black blazer over top, lips painted the colour of blood. Her engagement ring winks from her finger and Caroline can't help but feel grossly under dressed in jeans and her leather jacket.

Katherine was just one of those people that seemingly had it together in every aspect of her life, both personal and professional.

Katherine slips her phone into her purse as she approaches, bestowing a kind smile on her as she slides onto the stool opposite.  
"Sorry I'm late. Thanks for meeting me." She greets Katherine, who slides a menu across the table to her.

It had been Kol's suggestion that she invite Katherine out for lunch. He was out of the house most of the time, and the unpredictability of Bonnie's shift work at the hospital meant that for the most part, she was alone for a lot of time.

Her gym workouts had been ongoing, but only took an hour or two at the most.

Kol had supplied Katherine's number, and she'd plucked up her courage to finally ask the other woman out to a casual pub lunch.

Much to her surprise, Katherine's answer had come not two minutes later, and it had been a very enthusiastic yes.

"No problem. And you sound surprised. I imagine that it must get lonely with only Kol and your Bonnie for company." Katherine replies, taking a sip of her drink. "I must admit as much as I love Elijah, it's nice to have female company."

"I am a little surprised. There's Klaus as well sometimes, when he's not training. We go to the same gym." Caroline supplies, eyes pursuing the neat typeface of the menu, narrowing down her choices very quickly to a simple salad.

Katherine makes a soft noise of amusement that's enough to have Caroline dragging her eyes back to the brunette's face.

"He likes you. Doesn't he? Or at least he's made it very clear that he likes you. Klaus never was one to mask his feelings." Katherine deduces knowingly, red painted lips quirking up into a smile.

"He admitted as much, yes." Caroline admits grudgingly as Katherine lets out a throaty laugh. "But I told him that I just wanted to be friends."

"Good." Katherine states firmly, much to her surprise. "It's good for him to be put in his place every once in a while. And I certainly don't want you getting tangled up with Tatia any more than you want to, I'm sure."

"Yes." She says with a nod. She's about to ask about Tatia further before Katherine gestures for the waiter. He seemingly materialises at her side as Katherine looks over her shoulder towards the door.

"Ah. Right on time, as usual." Katherine remarks amusedly as Caroline turns, eyes landing on a harried looking gorgeous blonde woman making a beeline towards their table, barking something into the phone held to her ear.

"Caroline, meet Rebekah Mikaelson." Katherine drawls as the blonde Mikaelson drops her phone into her bag, eyes landing on her in surprise. "Rebekah, this is Caroline Forbes. She's in England for awhile, staying with your brother."

Rebekah's eyes widen imperceptibly when they land on her, winged eyeliner making the deep blue in her eyes pop.

"Oh my god. You're Caroline Forbes. The Caroline Forbes." Rebekah stutters as Katherine snorts in amusement at Rebekah's exuberance. "I watched your floor routine at the Olympic Games when they were in London. Can I just say, incredible." The other blonde continues.  
She's not sure how to react as Rebekah slides into the seat next to Katherine, chattering away as she stows her bag next to her.

"I was so sad to hear about your injury, and I hoped that you'd be able to compete again. You are going to compete again aren't you?" Rebekah probes gently, eyes wide with barely contained curiosity.

"That's the aim." She tells Rebekah with a smile, who smiles in return.

"I knew it. Can we get a picture? Klaus is going to be so jealous when he finds out that I met you first." Rebekah is rummaging for her phone, and Caroline can't help but shoot a look in Katherine's direction.

"Let's not scare her off Mikaelson, I happen to like this one." Katherine drawls as she relays their orders to the waiter. They pass their menus over as the man disappears. "Besides, you're a little behind the curve, Klaus has already met Caroline on a number of occasions."

She can practically hear Rebekah thinking out loud, putting two and two together as she stares at her with a thoughtful gaze.  
"But of course. You're the gymnast that he was banging on about when we met up for lunch last week." Rebekah remarks with a quick grin. "You would think the two of you were practically married with the way he was talking about you. Such a shame he's still hanging around with the she bitch."

She can't help but be stunned by Rebekah's words, not even thinking that Klaus would have spoken to anyone about her, let alone his sister.

"Not for long, or so I hear on the grapevine." Katherine remarks as the waiter reappears with a bottle of wine and two more glasses. "Elijah mentioned something earlier this morning that makes me think a break up is impending."

"Thank God." Rebekah sighs, pulling her wine glass towards her and taking a deep swig. "The girl is horrendous, I have no idea what he even sees in her. I still remember the look on mother's face when they met after a game."

Katherine says nothing further to Rebekah about their earlier conversation concerning Klaus, and for that she is eternally grateful. The two women fall into an easy chatter, making sure to include her and regaling her with stories and anecdotes.

There's a warm feeling in her stomach as the waiter arrives with their food, and she can't help but smile to herself. She'd never really had close girlfriends outside of her gymnastics team.

She and Elena were close to be sure, and she had Bonnie of course, but she never really had friends that she could just gossip with, while away the time just for the sake of doing so. Katherine and Rebekah were easy people to like, easy people to talk to.

Rebekah's phone buzzes and her eyes widen in disbelief as she stares at the message on her phone.

"Oh my god. Kate Middleton is wearing another one of my dresses. Oh my god." Rebekah types something out furiously, even as her own phone buzzes in her pocket.

She pulls it out, frowning at the unknown number on the screen before thumbing into the message.

 ** _Will I be seeing you at the game tonight? As 'friends', of course…_**

She saves Klaus' contact into her address book, because really, who else could it be? Katherine glances at her in amusement as she hurriedly types a message back.

 ** _[Caroline, 1.30pm]_**  
 ** _Maybe. I have yet to decide. Perhaps your sister might be able to convince me?_**

His response comes a minute later, and she bites back her laughter.

 ** _[Klaus Mikaelson, 1.30pm]_**  
 ** _Rebekah can be very persuasive when she wants to be. Perhaps I'll get her onto it. She's already a big fan of yours, as I'm sure you've gathered…_**

She smiles, the next message easy to type out, because it's the truth.

 ** _[Caroline, 1.31pm]_**  
 ** _Your sister is lovely. Very exuberant and friendly, I feel like I've known her for weeks rather than minutes. Now shoo, I believe we're bonding._**

 ** _[Klaus Mikaelson, 1.32pm]_**  
 ** _I'm glad. So I'll see you tonight then?_**

She forces herself to slip her phone back into her pocket, tuning back in to the conversation just in time to hear Rebekah gleefully exclaim.

"Let's go shopping!"

* * *

She'd never gone shopping for the sake of shopping. Often it was because there were holes in her shoes, or jeans that were just this side of too tight, or a top that had been stretched because she'd worn it for years.

She'd never viewed shopping as an activity or hobby, but if the way that Rebekah and Katherine were blowing through each store, the two women obviously did, and it was a regular occurrence.

She scans the racks absentmindedly, looking for something that was more her style. Rebekah had already disappeared in the direction of the change rooms, half a dozen dresses draped over her arm.

Katherine settles in next to her, pursuing the selection on the racks with a keen eye.

"I know she can be quite enthusiastic. But if you're not enjoying yourself don't feel like you have to stay." Katherine murmurs just loud enough for her to hear. "I can cover for you if need be."

Caroline shakes her head emphatically.

"No it's not that. I've just never really done this just because I could. I don't really know what suits me, I went for comfort over style back in America."

Katherine glances at her wide eyed, her lips softening into a gentle smile as she steers her over to another rack.

"Well lets see if we can't rectify that, shall we?"

Katherine and Rebekah are unstoppable, and seem to have an almost eerie sixth sense when it came to the cut and style of clothes that did suit her.

"Blue." Rebekah declares out of nowhere, pressing a pretty blouse into her hands. "Light or dark, it doesn't matter. It brings out the gold in your hair."

Katherine makes a soft noise of agreement, holding up a dress to Caroline's figure.

"Your body is amazing." Katherine continues, switching out the dress with another one. "I'm jealous."

Caroline refuses to believe that Katherine, who would look amazing in a hessian sack, could possibly be envious of her. She'd always had an athletic body type, and when she was in peak condition she had more muscle than she did curves.

She had to be strong, for the kind of strength work she put her body through when she competed.

"You're embarrassing her Kat." Rebekah scolds as Katherine continues to pile up clothes in her arms. "Go and try these on Caroline, report back when you find something you like.

It's hours later when she finally stumbles out of what Katherine declares to be the final shop, her arms laden down with shopping bags.

Rebekah had pretty much overhauled her entire wardrobe, finding clothes for her that were well within her budget yet still stylish and to her taste. Katherine had been all too eager to assist.

"Well that was fun." Rebekah declares giddily, skipping ahead, swinging her shopping bags over her arm. "I definitely needed this."

"You have clothes practically overflowing from your wardrobe Bek." Katherine teases the blonde good naturally as Rebekah pokes her tongue out at Katherine. "And we promise we won't do this too often Caroline."

"It's fine, it was high time that updated my wardrobe anyway." Caroline replies absentmindedly, glancing down at her watch. Thank you so much for this afternoon, but I should probably get going."

Rebekah pouts at that, pausing before her car.

"But we were having so much fun this afternoon. You must come to my place, Kat and I are getting ready ahead of Nik's game tonight. You are coming, aren't you?" Rebekah asks, arching a single eyebrow.

Caroline hesitates. She still hadn't decided if she was going to the game tonight. Kol had asked earlier in the week, and she'd sort of given him a non committal shrug, still unsure how to even approach her and Klaus' newly found 'friendship'.

Katherine's dark gaze is knowing, but the brunette says nothing, instead tapping a heeled foot against the pavement.

Rebekah pleads with her again, and just like that, she can feel herself giving in.

* * *

Rather than taking in the game from the private box, Rebekah has managed to procure some prime, pitch side tickets from god only knows where.

Caroline can't help but feel a little out of place as they sit together in their seats, the noise of the stadium threatening to overwhelm her. Kol, Katherine, and Rebekah are all dressed in the blue jersey of Klaus' team, the number 8 and 'Mikaelson' printed across the back.

She's dressed a little more simply, in jeans and a white shirt, and despite being the odd one out she still smiles as Kol passes over a cup of hot chips for her to eat.

"Isn't this much more fun than being eaten alive by the WAG's?" He yells above the noise of the swelling crowd. On her other side, Katherine and Rebekah have their heads bent together, eyeing off the players tunnel where the two teams are just emerging for a pre game warm up.

"Much better!" She replies as Kol settles back into his chair with a self satisfied grin.

Rebekah lets out a piercing whistle in the next few moments, waving her arm above her head as she shouts out her brother's name.

"Nik! Over here!"

Amazingly, Klaus seems to hear her over the noise of the rest of the crowd. Or perhaps he sees her rather, Rebekah cutting a striking figure as she leans over the railing into the pitch. He settles into an easy jog as he approaches them, eyes only for his sister as he smiles at her.

"Bekah, great to see you. Thanks for coming!" Klaus leans in, allows Rebekah to pull him in for a hug. "Congrats on the dress. You'll have all the Royals queuing up for you to dress them." He adds, ruffling his younger sister's hair playfully, even as Kol joins her at the railing.  
The two brothers clasp hands for a moment before Klaus' gaze lands on hers.

"Caroline. I take it you and Rebekah are getting along wonderfully?" He asks as she stands, Rebekah slinging an arm around her shoulder to pull her closer.

"She's absolutely fabulous Nik." Rebekah declares as Katherine lets out a throaty chuckle from behind her.

"You're down a team jersey as well." Klaus points out, as the Mikaelson siblings turn towards her as one.

"Oh god I completely forgot. We have to get you one from the merchandise shop after the game." Rebekah says, squeezing her arm gently as if she's apologising.

"Well that won't do." Klaus drawls, quickly pulling his own team shirt over his head and passing it to her. "Keep it sweetheart, I've got a spare on the sidelines." He adds before she can even protest.

She tries not to let her eyes linger on his chest, the delicious cut of muscle, the v lines leading down into his football shorts. She refuses to give him that satisfaction, refuses to cross the carefully drawn out lines of their new found friendship.

Before she even has time to do anything or protest further he's gone, tearing off across the field towards his team mates, obviously taking their ribbing and teasing all in stride as some of his team glance in their direction.

She watches him jog towards the opposite sideline, and true to his word he pulls out another blue jersey with the same number and his surname on it, tugging it over his head, the camera connected to the large screen in the stadium now tracking his every move as he leads his team into a series of drills.

"You best not let that go to waste." Katherine says quietly into her ear. "After all, it's not every day that the captain of an English Premier League Team gives you his own match jersey."

It's with a resigned sigh that she finally pulls the shirt over her head, the sharp smell of cologne invading her senses.

* * *

She cheers along with the rest of the crowd when the final siren signifies another victory for Klaus and his team, and she even lets Rebekah and Kol pull her into an exuberant three way hug, the two siblings jumping up and down and screaming at each other, buoyed by their brother's success.

Katherine is slightly more dignified in her celebrations, but still lets Rebekah pull her into a hug with a laugh.

"Come on, I told Nik we'd meet him at the pub!" Rebekah grabs her hand, pulling them along until they're swept up into a tide of blue, supporters chanting the team anthem as they spill out of the stadium and onto the forecourt beyond.

"Pub?" She asks Kol, who's stepping along beside Katherine, their arms linked together.

"Sort of a tradition darling." Kol begins to explain, leaning a little closer to her as Rebekah powers ahead. "If the team wins, we usually all hit up our regular pub afterwards for a few victory drinks. If we lose, we each go our separate ways and commiserate in our own ways." He finishes with a wink.

The pub as she quickly realises, is manned by an impressive looking bouncer, who seems to recognise Rebekah instantly as she bounces straight past the queue of people and pauses in front of the bouncer.

"A pleasure as always Beks." The bouncer greets her politely, waving her through the entrance, exchanging polite hellos with Kol and Katherine. "New friend?" He pauses, speaking directly to Kol.

"This is Caroline, remember her face Theo. She's practically part of the family." Kol reaches for her hand, tugging her after him as Theo lets out a bark of laughter.

The pub is already half full, blue jerseys taking up seemingly every table in the place, crowding up against the bar. The atmosphere from the game, that feeling of euphoria, has been multiplied tenfold now that their team has another win under their belt, and she can't help but let a grin creep over her face.

"This way Caroline. Kol's going to get some drinks for us." Katherine nudges her gently after Rebekah, steering her through the crowd and into a quieter part of the bar obviously reserved for the players and their immediate family.

She can't help but feel oddly out of place, wondering if Katherine has ever felt the same on the many occasions she's clearly hung out with the Mikaelson family.

She pulls out her phone, firing off a quick text to Bonnie, wishing her other friend was here as well to join in the festivities.

Bonnie's response comes not a minute later.

 ** _Wish I was there as well! Looked like a cracker of a game. It's been a slow one at work, managed to catch a bit of it on a patient television in between rounds. Have fun! xx_**

Her next text is interrupted by Kol, who unceremoniously dumps a tray of drinks onto their table, frothy liquid sloshing over the rim of their glasses.

Caroline accepts the beer Kol passes her with a quick grin, sipping at the drink slowly.

"Sorry if beer's not your thing Caroline." Rebekah comments, leaning forward from the opposite side of the table. "It's sort of another tradition of ours."

"Beer is fine, really." She replies, touched that the younger Mikaelson is even thinking to include her in a long standing tradition. "Who's the last one for?" She asks, nodding towards the lone beer sitting on the tray.

"That would be mine sweetheart." A voice echoes from somewhere above and behind her as across the table, Rebekah's whole face seems to light up. She has to hide her soft laughter as the blonde girl practically clambers over Kol, launching herself into Klaus' arms.

"Nik, it has been far too long." Rebekah punctuates each word with a playful slap to Klaus' arm, who takes his sisters exuberance in stride as he picks her up off the ground.

Klaus slides into the booth next to her, and she can practically feel the heat radiating from his body given how close he's sitting to her. He reaches forward, clinking his glass against Kol's before downing his beer, Adam's apple bobbing as he swallows.

It's nice, seeing how obviously tight knit the Klaus and his siblings seem to be. Even he and Katherine seem quite close, the brunette easily conversing with him as Rebekah and Kol chatter away on the other side of the table.

"Alright love?" Klaus murmurs, fingers brushing against her arm gently. "You've been quiet."

"Just taking it all in. I've never had the chance to do this before." She remarks lightly, gesturing around the bar. "I mean, I've been to a bar before. Just not like this."

There's an amused smile playing at Klaus' lips.

"I need some fresh air actually. Would you care to join me?"

She agrees before she can think about it, sliding out of the booth and trying her hardest to ignore the positively gleeful look on Kol and Rebekah's face. Katherine is less obvious about it, simply arching a single eyebrow as if she were impressed.

The cold air is like a slap to the face, and she sucks it greedily into her lungs, the press of bodies much less here, although the smell of cigarette smoke does pervade her nostrils.

Klaus' hands are gentle on her shoulders as he steers her along the sidewalk until there's a gap in the blue clad supporters, some of who shout in his direction as he's recognised. But for the most part, to her surprise, they leave Klaus alone.

"They're a surprisingly respectful lot." Klaus seemingly reads her mind as he falls into step beside her, leather clad shoulder knocking against hers. "For the most part they leave me be if they know that I have family here. Or friends." He flashes her an easy smile, and she can't help but return it, another part of her wondering where exactly they're going.

There's a pause as they stop to cross at an intersection, and she takes the time to study him as he leans forward to press the cross button. His hair is damp from a post match shower she's guessing, and there's a wearied set to his shoulders as his eyes sweep the intersection.

"How's your training going?" He asks as they finally cross, melting easily into the crowds around them.

"Frustratingly slow." She admits out loud with a huff. "I want to get back into it, but obviously there's some very good reasons why I shouldn't at the moment." She adds once they're back on the pavement across the road, eyeing off a low brick wall that stretches out beside her.

Before she can think about it further she hops up onto it, wincing at the slight stiffness in her knee as Klaus glances at her in surprise, before realising that she's simulating being on a balance beam.

"This used to be so easy." Caroline continues, watching as she places one foot in front of the other, careful that she doesn't place a foot wrong lest she fall. "Now it's kind of scary?"

"Here." Klaus offers her his hand, and she surprises both of them she thinks, when she reaches out and takes it, letting him support her as she continues to balance along the bricks. "I don't want you injuring yourself on my watch, Bekah would murder me."

His hand is warm. It seems like such a stupid thing to notice when he's watching her so carefully, brow furrowing in concentration.

They reach the end of the brick wall together, and when she looks at the height she'll need to jump to get to the ground she realises that she probably didn't think this one through properly, because it's going to be absolute murder on her knee.

Klaus seems to realise her predicament at the same time, his lips quirking up into a mischievous smile.

"I'll cut you a deal sweetheart." He begins, squeezing her hand to get her attention. She meets his gaze carefully, with a tilt of her chin. "I'll help you down, if you let me take you somewhere. But you have to eat anything that I put in front of you."

She tilts her head to the side, narrowing her eyes at Klaus, who looks infuriatingly innocent, if not a little smug.

"Fine." She agrees after a moment. "Now can you please help me down?"

Klaus leans forward, hands gripping her waist as he lifts her easily from the bricks and sets her on the ground beside him. He squeezes gently before stepping back.

"Alright love, time to fulfil your part of the bargain."

* * *

As it turns out, Klaus' idea of food is a kebab place. He's a regular, if the way he greets everybody by name is anything to go by, leading the way towards a semi private table tucked away in the corner.

The shop is only half full, most of the tables unoccupied, but they still do get a few curious glances.

"Sit. I'll be back in a sec." Klaus instructs a little bossily before striding off towards the counter.

 ** _[Rebekah, 7:20pm]_**

 ** _Where did you go? Are you still with Nik? Are you okay?_**

 ** _[Caroline, 7:21pm]_**  
 ** _I'm fine, promise. Yes, still with your brother, we're getting something to eat. Tell Kol to stop worrying. Message me when you're leaving?_**

 ** _[Rebekah, 7:21pm]_**  
 ** _Will do. Have fun! ;)_**

"This is one of my rituals." Klaus seats himself opposite her, blue eyes dancing with mirth at the slightly horrified look on her face once she beholds the tray of food in front of her.

The kebab was simply monstrous. The meat and onions were almost spilling out of the wrap, grease staining the paper that kept the wrap tight.

"Oh my god what are you trying to poison me with?" She pokes at the wrap with a finger as Klaus lets out a chuckle.

"Come now, surely you've had something like this after a particularly gruelling competition?" He teases her good naturedly, picking up his own wrap and taking a bite.

"I do have a certain weakness for cheeseburgers." She finally admits with a laugh, picking up her own wrap and deciding to at least give it a go.

This was one of the reasons that she'd come to London wasn't it? To try new things, even if it could possibly harden her arteries beyond repair.

"Oh my god this is amazing." She mumbles around the first mouthful, wondering why the hell she hadn't tried this back in America.

"See? You need to live a little." Klaus declares, taking another bite of his own meal, nudging his foot against hers.

Her phone buzzes in her pocket and she wipes her hand on the accompanying napkin before fishing it out and thumbing into the message.

 ** _[Bonnie Bennett, 7.45pm]_**

 ** _Seems like Klaus is a single man now?_**

"Something wrong?" Klaus asks lightly as she locks her phone and slides it back into the pocket of her jeans.

"No. All fine. Just Bonnie texting from work."

They continue their meal mostly in silence, and it's not until she's taken her last bite that Klaus leans back in his chair, tilting his head to the side as he stares at her.

"What's your ritual?" He asks suddenly, as she blinks at him in surprise. "Before a competition, after a competition? Is there something that you do?"

Unbidden, she smiles at his question.

"I listen to music before a meet. Same playlist all the time." She replies with a half shrug. "It always calms me, when I get nervous."

"What's on there?" He asks quietly, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table, eyes alight  
with curiosity.

"A lot of pop music." Caroline tells him with a laugh. "Some Maroon 5, a bit of John Mayer, and some Taylor Swift. After a competition I like to have a hot bath and read a book. And what about you?" She asks, turning the question back on him.

"I always wear the same coloured underwear when I'm playing." He replies smoothly, with a completely straight face.

She bursts out into laughter at that.

"You're joking, surely."

"Never." Klaus vows, hand over his heart. "Come game day, always the same colour. It has yet to let me down. I also never shave before game day. Sort of strange that we manage to pick up these sorts of rituals, don't you think?"

She pauses, mulling over his words for a moment or two.

"I think it's the one thing we can control you know? We can't control the conditions, or the rest of the competition, or even the outcome at times. But we can control those minute things. It's almost reassuring in a way."

"Exactly." Klaus agrees, looking stunned.

She glances down at her watch, noting the time, giving Klaus a regretful smile.

"I should go. Early start tomorrow, you know." She remarks lightly, pushing out her chair and getting to her feet.

"Have you been outside London yet?" Klaus asks, following suit and following her towards the door.

"I haven't had a chance to be honest." She admits out loud, shivering as she steps out into the cool night air.

"Will you let me take you somewhere?"

She nods, giving him a quick smile.

"Yeah, okay."

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the rather abrupt ending guys, this one was creeping towards 5000 words and I had to cut it off.**

 **For those of you not on Tumblr, I've decided to abandon Up All Night Til The Sun for now. I do have plans to take the story down and rework it, as I'm not happy with it as it stands at the moment, and I don't believe that I've done the genre justice.**

 **I know that a lot of you love it, but it was a personal decision. You will see some chapters coming in the next few weeks/months on that one, and I'm planning on it being a lot better and more improved than it's current version.**

 **Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next update will be Growing Strong!**

 **xx**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I do not own The Vampire Diaries of it's characters. If I did, The Originals would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

The notification for her email chimes from her phone the next morning, during those moments between sleeping and waking. She smiles as she stretches, reaching for her iPhone and pulling it towards her, thumbing into her mail app.

Alaric's name blinks back at her, and it's with a curious smile that she opens his message. Although Alaric's presence hadn't been physical, he'd very much been there, whether it be through encouraging messages, phone calls, or demanding weekly updates on her progress.

Not that she blamed him of course, she knows very well that he's taking a huge gamble by not overseeing this stage of her recovery, basically putting his trust in her and in Enzo to get the job done.

She liked to think that she was doing well, all things considered. The first few weeks of living with her injury had been an experience to say the least. That tightness in her chest that heralded seemingly constant anxiety over her future and what the hell she would do if she couldn't recover properly didn't go away.

In fact, she could probably say that it didn't go away until the aeroplane door closed behind her, and she took off to head to London.

She still gets the odd nervous twist in her gut sometimes, when her knee starts to ache and she wonders if she's falling apart all over again. She's eager to really get back into it, the slow progress starting to wear on her, but she knows that Enzo knows far better than she does what's good for her body and when she should start pushing herself.

Now, wasn't the time.

Alaric's message is simple, just two lines that she read within seconds.

 _Told you that the article was going to be a good one. Read and absorb sweetheart. People are a lot more invested in you than you'd thought._

 _Alaric_

He's left a hyperlink at the bottom of his email, and when she clicks onto it, it immediately puts her through to Time Magazine's home page. There's a thumbnail of her in action at a competition, mid way through one of her floor routines.

She looks strong, fierce, unstoppable. And the headline herself is enough to make her smile.

 _Caroline Forbes- Girl on Fire_

She can't help but let out a delighted laugh, her eyes scanning the rest of the article.

 _Caroline Forbes had always been a private figure in the world of American Gymnastics, if not a little closed off to the media. Her single minded determination saw her post some of the best scores in the London Olympics for her team, despite the squad not making the podium. Of course, there have also been countless memorable performances in between, Forbes making the sport look effortless._

 _It was of course, no surprise to anyone that she' d taken on the role of team Captain with very little fuss and fanfare. The transition between outgoing Captain Amber Bradley and Forbes was seamless, and heralded a new era for the then struggling team._

 _When I had the opportunity to speak with Caroline Forbes in London, I jumped at the chance. Like many, I was disappointed to hear of her torn ACL at last year's Championship's, something that could have potentially been career ending. I expected a washed out young woman, perhaps tired of the sport and accepting of the fact that she might be down for the count._

 _Instead, I was met with a soft spoken and mature young woman, a glint of determination in her eyes and confidence in her stance. This was a woman that was certainly not down for the count, and seemed confident that she would be making an appearance at the 2020 Olympic Games once more for her country._

It was a surprisingly complementary article, she realised as she finished reading the piece, making a mental note to send Steven an email to thank him for the interview. She'd closed herself off to the media for a reason, especially when she was first starting out. There was a tendency to sensationalise, especially when it came to her personal life.

A gentle tapping on the door interrupts her train of thought, and she looks up as Bonnie pokes her head around the door.

"Morning. I made you a cup of tea. Do you mind if I come in?" Bonnie's voice is gentle, and she immediately waves her friend in, who rests the cup of tea on the nightstand and then settles in next to her on the bed.

"Have fun at the game last night?" Bonnie asks, handing her the morning paper, watching her expression as she unfolds it.

The front cover it would seem, is dedicated to Tatia and Klaus' somewhat messy breakup, if what she was reading was anywhere close to accurate. Of course, she knew better, and simply folds the paper in half, tossing it onto the duvet beside her.

Bonnie doesn't stop her when she reaches over the top of her to grab the cup of tea, blowing on the surface before taking a sip.

"It was good fun. You need to come along to the next one when you get the chance." She replies, resting her back against the headboard.

"I'm planning on it. You guys always have way too much fun without me. Are you doing anything this Friday night? Rebekah's invited all three of us around for dinner at her flat. You should come along."

"Definitely, sounds fun. Should I bring anything?"

Bonnie considers her question for a moment.

"Maybe a nice bottle of wine? I know Rebekah is partial to a good Shiraz. Katherine and Elijah are coming along, so you'll be able to meet Klaus' older brother. He's not as scary as Kol makes him out to be, so whatever he tells you, it's probably best to just ignore him."

"Based on what I know of Kol so far, I'd say that's a fair assumption. How are you? I feel like we keep missing each other. We need to hang out soon, just the two of us." Caroline declares, taking another sip of her tea before placing it on the night stand closest to her, so she doesn't have to risk spilling it all over Bonnie.

Bonnie smiles to herself.

"I'd like that Care. But more importantly, I want to talk about your total non reaction to my message last night, and _that_ headline." Bonnie gestures with her head to the newspaper, Klaus just visible in one of the pictures splashed across the page.

Caroline just sighs as a way of reply.

"I know what you're expecting me to say, but it's really not a big deal. We talked, while he was over here, and we agreed to just be friends. You know I'm not that type of person to come between someone's relationship."

"Yes.' Bonnie voices thoughtfully, nudging her gently with a shoulder. "But now he's not in a relationship. But I think you already knew that, didn't you?"

Caroline pauses, unsure how much to reveal to Bonnie, how much the other girl knew about the nature of Klaus' relationship with Tatia.

"He told me that he was going to end things, yes. But that still doesn't change things Bon. Something like that, someone like him would be a distraction. I'm here for a reason, and I have a lot of people back home that are relying on me to make a good recovery. I can't be caught up in something with him along the way without losing my mind."

"So him giving you his jersey was a 'just friends' thing?" Bonnie teases with a laugh, making air quotations with her fingers.

Caroline just sighs, slumping down in the bed and pulling a pillow over her face.

"Kol is a horrible gossip!" She declares, voice muffled by the fabric as Bonnie tugs it away from her face. "I do plan on giving it back at some point."

"He's just going to tell you to keep it. You know what he's like."

She blows at the hair in her face with a sigh.

"Yes I do." She remarks lightly, glancing at the alarm clock on her nightstand before pushing at her friend.

"You've gotta go Bon, I have a physio appointment this morning, and Enzo is going to murder me if I'm late."

* * *

"You're late." Enzo declares not even an hour later, cup of tea paused halfway to his lips as he reads something off a computer screen in front of him.

"Oh come on!" She exclaims, dumping her bag to the floor and collapsing into the chair in front of his desk. "I was five minutes late. It's not like you have a full patient roster today anyway." She adds pointedly, referring to the deathly silent waiting area that she'd just walked through.

"Late is late Forbes, whether it be by five minutes or one minute." Enzo hits a few keys on his keyboard before placing his mug down on the table, turning his calm gaze on her. "How are you doing?"

"Good." She answers with a smile. "I've been feeling good. Minimal pain."

"I read your article in TIME. Nice write up. Are you feeling pressured at all?" Enzo asks, kicking his feet up on his desk and tilting his chair back.

"No more than usual. Seriously Enzo, it's been going well. When did you turn into a sports psychologist overnight?"

Enzo just sighs, continuing to stare at her before tilting his chair forward and getting to his feet.

"Come on then, we'll walk and talk today." He moves around the side of his desk, gesturing for her to follow him. She falls into step beside him as he shows her out of his office, crossing the reception area and opening a door beyond the space.

She's surprised by the sheer size of the room, high tech machines and equipment scattered around the space.

"Up you get." Enzo says lightly, slapping his hand against one of the treadmills and climbing up onto the one next to her. "Did you focus a lot on cardio when you were training in America?"

"Explosive power, mainly." She answers, stepping onto the running track, positioning herself on either side of the strip as Enzo hits the power button on her machine. "For vaulting and tumbling."

"I need to see how much you can handle before we start you on your next range of exercises. Work your way up to a light jog, and if you start feeling any sort of pain you stop right away, understand?" Enzo instructs as she nods, stepping onto the track and matching the pace of the machine easily.

She controls her speed, slowly increasing her pace as Enzo keeps a careful eye on her knee, taking note of her expressions as she puts weight on her weakened muscles.

It takes five minutes before she's breaking out into a hesitant jog, pain lancing up her knee each time she puts weight onto it.

She's gasping by the time she hits the stop button, stepping off the treadmill as she rolls towards the back of the machine.

"Shit." She says out loud, because she's a lot further behind in her recovery than she thought she would be.

"Hey." Enzo says gently, reaching out to squeeze her shoulder. "We'll get there. You knew this was going to be hard. How often have you been going to the gym?"

"Not as often as I should be, evidently." She wipes the sweat from her forehead as Enzo steers her towards a pair of stools in the corner of the room.

"How often Caroline?" Enzo probes again once they're seated.

"Two, maybe three times a week?"

Enzo looks slightly disappointed at that, but doesn't press her further.

"Caroline, at this stage in your recovery… you should be going at least three to five times a week. Do I need to write an exercise program for you? Have you been distracted lately?"

She laughs out loud at that.

"Distracted? Yes. I'm attempting to rectify that. I feel stuck. I can't push too hard, because if I do then I could cause myself damage. If I don't push hard enough now, I could still cause myself damage when I do start to push."

"Is this about Klaus Mikaelson?" Enzo asks softly. "I know the two of you have been hanging out lately. I might not believe the tabloids, but it is a bit hard to miss."

There's no judgement in Enzo's tone, and for that she is grateful.

"He's been nothing but nice to me since I got here. And it's not just him. It's actually nice, having a normal life for once. Shopping with girlfriends, gossiping with my best friend. Hanging out with a guy without there having to be strings attached. It's everything that I never got to have in America. And that was my choice, I did it because I was committed and loved the sport. People never seem to understand just how hard I work."

"I understand." Enzo replies with a wry smile. "I see patients on your level every day. It's completely normal to struggle during recovery, and you certainly aren't the first person that I've had this conversation with, nor do I suspect you'll be the last. But you are the only person that can decide what you want, and how hard to fight to get it. So I ask you this Caroline Forbes… what do you want?"

She takes a deep breath, finally meeting Enzo's eyes.

"I want the Gold. And I'm willing to fight however hard I have to get it."

Enzo's smile is genuine, lighting up his eyes, taking over his features.

"There she is. I thought I'd lost you for a moment there."

True to his word, Enzo writes her an exercise program to follow each week, detailing exactly what sort of exercise she should be doing down to each and every stretch. He did it via phone conference with one of his personal trainer associates, after the PT had been briefed on her particular case and the goals she had in mind.

"You don't have to do this alone you know. A lot of those classes you can bring your friends along to. Although somehow I can't see Klaus doing ballet." Enzo had handed the folder to her with a dry smile as she'd tried to muffle her laughter.

Enzo had tried to keep her out of the gym as much as possible, cutting down her sessions to three a week for the next month, when they'd step it up.

In between though, he'd kept her busy with a range of different activities.

Swimming and aqua aerobics for non weight bearing exercise and cardio, ballet and pilates for stretching and strengthening her body, in the hopes of returning her body to it's previous levels of flexibility.

He gave her one day off on Saturday, where she was under absolutely no obligation to exercise at all, but she knew that once she got into a routine with exercise she'd probably do a hike or a walk outside of London.

She felt confident when she left Enzo's office, like she could take on anything. She could do this. She'd had a set back, but that was normal.

Her phone buzzes in her hand as Rebekah's name flashes across the screen, and it's with a smile that she picks up the call.

"Caroline, dinner at mine on Friday night. You're coming yes? Bonnie hasn't given me an answer yet, and knowing how hard that girl works I'm unlikely to get one anytime soon."

"I'll be there." She promises, pausing as she glances down at her exercise program once more. "Hey Bek…" She trails off feeling stupid for even asking Rebekah to do this favour for her when she'd only known the other girl for a few days.

"Spit it out Caroline, unless you're asking me to help you bury a dead body. That, I would have to reconsider, going to jail is so not a part of my five year plan." Rebekah replies distractedly.

"Oh my god, Rebekah." Caroline hisses into the phone. "Why on Earth would you even jump to that conclusion?"

"You've started hanging out with my brothers, and both of the ones that you have met have a certain proclivity for getting into various scrapes that usually require my attention. Although I assure you I've never had to bury a dead body before. It would be hell on my manicure. What' s up?" Rebekah asks abruptly.

"How do you feel about ballet?" She blurts out, getting the question out there. She's expecting a scoff or even for Rebekah to laugh, so she's unprepared for the other girl's squeal.

"Are you kidding? I love ballet. I took lessons for years when I was younger. Do you have tickets to somewhere? If so, I would gladly accompany you if you're looking for someone to go with." Rebekah replies quickly.

"You're close but I'm afraid not. I meant ballet classes. As in, participating in one possibly, with me?" Caroline phrases it like a question as Rebekah chuckles.

"If you're asking me to go to a ballet class with you as part of your freaky exercise program, of course I will. We should ask Kat as well, the girl might seem like a stone cold bitch, but ballet is her weakness. Of course, she's freakishly good at it also."

"Maybe you should pitch it to her. I don't really know her well enough quite yet." She lets out a breath as she heads for the bus stop, relief settling over her as a smile creeps across her face.

"You make me do all the hard work Forbes." Rebekah jokes. "I'll let her know. When's the first class begin?"

"Thursday after next at five thirty." Caroline replies promptly. "It's just a beginners one, so maybe warn Kat before she pulls out her grand jete."

"Done, and done. Oh god does this mean I have to wear tights?" Rebekah almost sounds horrified at the idea.

This time, Caroline doesn't bother to hide her laughter.

* * *

Bonnie skips up the steps towards Rebekah's front door, Kol trailing behind with a Sticky Toffee Pudding held carefully between his hands.

Caroline's eyes flick towards the line of cars in Rebekah's driveway, Klaus' SUV already parked, another obscenely expensive Range Rover sitting beside. She can't help but whistle under her breath as Bonnie pulls open the door and steps into the entrance hall of Rebekah's brownstone.

The scene before them is complete and utter chaos. Rebekah comes racing from the kitchen, smoke billowing from behind her as someone yells something at her.

She stops and stares as Rebekah pries open all of the windows in an effort to get the smoke to dissipate.

Bonnie and Kol share equally horrified expressions as they stand rooted to the ground. She slips around Kol, poking her head around the corner and into the kitchen, where Klaus and another man are clearly trying to salvage what remained of the dinner.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" She voices hesitantly as Klaus turns at the sound of her voice, a grimace on his face as he watches her take stock of the situation.

"Caroline." He voices, forced smile turning into a genuine one. "Good to see you. Elijah, this is Caroline Forbes. Caroline, this is my older brother Elijah."

"A pleasure." She directs towards Elijah, who's in the process of removing a smoking mess from the oven. "I would shake your hand, but you're otherwise occupied." She adds, cocking her head to the side to try and see what dinner was going to be.

"A wise decision." Elijah replies with the quickest of smiles, impeccably dressed in dress pants and a button up shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. "The pleasure is all mine Ms Forbes. It would seem when it comes to my family, that your reputation precedes you."

Elijah dumps the burnt dinner into the bin before leaving the dish in the sink for washing up later.

"Well Niklaus, what do you think? Takeaway or do you think we can scrape something together?" Elijah turns to his brother as Klaus' eyes sweep around the brightly lit kitchen, before he pokes his head into the fridge and the pantry.

"I think I've got something in mind actually. How about you go and find Rebekah and crack open the wine? I'm sure she's probably worked herself into a right state by now."

"An excellent idea." Elijah agrees, leaning over and grabbing a bottle of wine from the counter, tucking it under his arm and grabbing a few glasses. "Can I tempt you Caroline?"

"A little later, definitely." She returns with a smile. "Someone will have to supervise this one to make sure he doesn't go rogue and poison us all." She jerks her head towards Klaus, who looks insulted for all of a split second before he lets out a chuckle.

"A rather apt assumption. I'll go and start the damage control then, Rebekah always is far too hard on herself when it comes to her cooking."

Kol and Bonnie pass Elijah, Kol surveying the kitchen with a resigned sigh.

"All under control brother?" He directs towards Klaus, who's in the middle of rummaging in the fridge and freezer for ingredients for whatever he's planning on cooking.

"I've got it covered mate." Klaus' voice is muffled slightly, but he emerges victorious in the end, dumping the ingredients on the counter and smiling at Bonnie. "Good to see you two. Go and relax. I'll call you if I need a hand."

"Alright then." Bonnie remarks lightly after a second or two. "You coming Caroline?" Her best friend shoots her a knowing glance, and she refrains from rolling her eyes.

"Caroline's assisting me. I'm afraid I've given her no choice in the matter." Klaus replies very seriously, bending down to pull a chopping board from the cupboard in front of him.

"So what's on the menu tonight?" She asks, pushing off from the counter and coming to stand next to Klaus.

"Something that doesn't need to be cooked in the oven. How confident are you with boiling spaghetti?" Klaus asks innocently, eyes dancing with mirth as she gives him a playful shove.

It's so easy, to fall into a conversation with him. Once the spaghetti is in the water she moves onto chopping vegetables, concentrating on the task in front of her as she tells Klaus about her setback at her appointment, how disappointed she felt after realising that she wasn't as far along as she thought he was.

He listens carefully, not talking until he's sure she's finished.

"It's normal, to be scared about your recovery. I went through something very similar about two years ago. Slide tackle gone wrong, I thought that was it, and for a long time I convinced myself it was." His voice is low, melodic as she listens to him share his story with her. "But then at the end of the day, you're the only person that can change that."

"Yeah, that's what my physio said as well."

Klaus is leaning up against the counter, arms crossed over his chest as he watches her with the knife, the way she's cutting into the garlic.

"You're going to take your finger off sweetheart." He says suddenly, pushing off from the counter and coming to stand behind her. She can feel the heat from his body, through the thin henley he's wearing.

Slowly, his hand reaches around her waist, covering hers carefully, fingers wrapping around hers and the knife.

"Like this." He instructs her, breath hot against the side of her neck as he angles the knife a different way.

She tries not to tense up at the proximity of their bodies, as they continue slicing, Klaus humming something under his breath, seemingly perfectly at ease with the situation.

He steps away without saying anything else, moving to combine the rest of the ingredients into the frying pan.

"You can go and join the others sweetheart, I've got the rest of this covered. You wouldn't want to miss out on all the fun." He muses out loud as laughter spills out of the lounge room.

She flashes him a grateful smile, wiping her hands on a tea towel before stepping into the loungeroom.

Elijah is in the middle of topping up Rebekah's glass with wine, and the blonde's eyes widen when they land on her.

"Caroline! I was just telling Elijah about our plans next week for ballet. Do you think I can convince him to come along?" She asks jovially as Kol lets out a snort of laughter.

"Elijah in tights is not a visual I ever want to see become a reality." He declares as Katherine covers her mouth with a manicured hand, her eyes flicking towards her fiance with an affectionate smile.

Elijah looks horrified at the thought, but smiles gamely at his younger sister.

"I think we'll spare him this time." Caroline replies, putting Elijah out of his misery.

She sits herself next to Bonnie on the couch, knocking her shoulder against her best friend's.

She can hear Klaus moving around in the background, setting the table with plates and cutlery, an amazing smell wafting from the kitchen.

Ten minutes later they're all settling in around the table, Rebekah at the head, Klaus and Elijah on either side. She's just about to spoon herself a serving of spaghetti when Klaus' phone rings.

He lets out an apologetic smile, standing and reaching into his pocket for his phone. He disappears into the other room before taking the call.

The conversation around the table continues, and she ladles out a generous serving before passing the bowl to Katherine.

Klaus appears moments later, a regretful smile on his face as he bends down to press a kiss to the top of Rebekah's head.

"I have to go." Klaus announces to the room, glancing down at his screen. "One of the younger lads is in a spot of trouble at the the local, and I mentioned I'd go and sort it out. Walk me out Caroline?" He asks casually, as the rest of the table glances towards her.

She swallows around her first mouthful of food before balling up her napkin and dropping it next to her plate.

"Of course." She pushes back from her chair, following Klaus out of the hallway and out the front door.

"I feel bad that you didn't get to enjoy the fruits of your labour." She says once the door has shut behind them, Klaus fishing around in his pocket for his keys.

"No matter love, there'll be other nights with my family. Sometimes the younger lads get a bit carried away. I feel… responsible for them in a way."

He leans up against the bonnet of his car, legs spread wide as he crosses his arms over his chest.

"That's really sweet of you." She replies with a quick smile. "They must look up to you a lot."

"What are you up to on Sunday?" Klaus asks suddenly, a soft chuckle at the way she jumps at his sudden question.

"Swimming in the morning, but free after that. Do you have something in mind?"

"Roadtrip?"

"Where are we going?" She asks curiously, as Klaus pushes off from the bonnet, leaning around her to unlock the driver's side.

"Somewhere special. I'll pick you up at ten?" Klaus twirls his keys around his fingers, a wicked grin on his face.

"Deal." Caroline declares, reaching out to seal it with a hand shake.

It's Klaus that pulls her closer, reaching out to brush some hair from her face.

"Deal. Try not to get into too much trouble between now and then sweetheart."

His lips brushing against her cheek feels like fire.

* * *

 **AN: Ahh young love. Caroline continues to fight against her feelings for Klaus, Klaus continues to be a flirtatious menace.**

 **They'll discuss a lot of things next chapter when they spend the day together, Tatia included.**

 **At the core of it, this will be about Caroline's journey.**

 **Hope you enjoy, this is basically going to be a sloooow burn, like a friends to more kind of thing. But not too slow!**

 **Yes, I will finally get around to the Klaus and Caroline roadtrip next chapter.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, the Originals would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

She can't help but jump as Rebekah lays a measuring tape against the outside of her thigh, and she tries to stay still lest she topple off the small step that Rebekah had ordered her to stand onto.

After she'd divested herself of most of her clothes that is. She and Rebekah were the only two souls in the blonde Mikaelson's atelier, located in Whitechapel, Eastern London. The hour itself was obscene enough, sun just beginning to lighten the dim interior of the space.

"Remind me again why I'm here?" Caroline asks of Rebekah, who simply tuts as she wraps the tape around her waist, making a marking in a note pad. Rebekah is entirely professional about the whole thing, and stands, one hand on her hip.

"Every year, Nik's team appears at a charity gala. It's a big deal, gorgeous gowns and people positively dripping in diamonds. Kat, Elijah, Kol and I usually go along as well, and it's always a hassle finding a gown for the night."

"Okay, so why are you measuring me then?" She continues to question Rebekah, who rolls her eyes and lets out a sigh.

"Because Nik is probably going to ask you at some point, and I want to ensure that you're prepared with a beautiful dress. Especially if I'm going to pull one together for you in time. I normally don't like working to deadlines that fall under a month, but I'm willing to make an exception for you." Rebekah tells her a little bossily.

She clamps her mouth shut, mulling Rebekah's words over in her mind.

"You think he'll ask me?" She questions quietly as Rebekah moves the measuring tape to another place on her body, making down another measurement in her notepad.

"Well if he doesn't, I bloody well will." Rebekah snaps playfully in reply. "Regardless, every girl needs a gorgeous gown. I'm thinking a light blue for you with some beaded detailing. Not strapless or you'll be hitching it up all night, and god only knows how classless that looks." Rebekah continues to think out loud before getting to her feet again, snapping her notebook shut and slinging the tape around her neck.

"Thank god." Caroline steps down onto the ground again, making a beeline for the pile of her clothing in the chair in the corner.

"She steps into her workout tights, pulling them up so they settle around her hips. Rebekah casts a critical eye over her outfit.

"Why you insist on wearing active wear as street wear I'lll never know. Have you not worn anything you bought with us when we went shopping?" Rebekah asks with another sigh. "Is this an athlete thing?"

"Hey, active wear is comfortable." She chides Rebekah, pulling a shirt over her head and zipping up her puffer jacket. "Yes I have, when I'm not at the gym, where I spend most of my time." She adds pointedly as Rebekah chuckles.

"You win this round Forbes. Leave this with me, what are you up to for the rest of the day?" Rebekah questions, lifting up her notebook briefly.

Right on cue there's a knocking on the front door of Rebekah's atelier, the blonde cocking her head to the side as her eyes narrow towards Caroline.

"I'm guessing Klaus has the day off training today?" Rebekah questions innocently. "What are the two of you up to today?"

"Don't be too hard on Caroline Bekah." Klaus drawls as he steps into view, twirling his car keys around nimble fingers. "I haven't actually told her what we're doing today. But I'm glad to see you've dressed accordingly sweetheart." He directs this towards her, a quick once over almost enough to make her blush.

It takes her a moment to realise that Klaus is dressed similarly, although he's in sweatpants rather than tights.

"Well I'll leave you to it, I'm sure there's exercise involved which is enough for me to stay away." Rebekah pronounces with a delicate snort.

Klaus bends down to press a rough kiss to his sister's cheek, and Caroline can't help but smile as Rebekah dances away from her older brother, pushing at his jacket.

"Your stubble is hideous. Go." She orders, as Klaus steps away with a placating gesture, hands held up innocently.

Caroline slings her bag over her shoulder, lifting her hand in a wave as she crosses the atelier and follows Klaus out the front door and down the steps into the street.

She's grateful for her puffer jacket as the cool air hits her face, but then Klaus is holding open the door to his Maserati for her and the lingering warmth from the heater wraps around her like a cocoon.

She hadn't seen Klaus for close to a fortnight now. His last two games and been Away games, and Kol and Rebekah didn't usually travel for those, choosing instead to show their support when Klaus played home games.

She herself had been busy with training, and had barely had time to reply to his texts, let alone see him on a regular basis. They always seemed to miss each other at the gym, she going when he was training and Klaus choosing to train in the evening when she was usually winding down.

"Been busy?" Klaus remarks lightly with a chuckle as he takes a somewhat twisted route out of the city.

"Very." She confirms, fiddling with the dial on the radio until a vaguely familiar pop song came blasting out of the stereo. "Training's been going well though. Your timing as always, was impeccable."

"Glad I could be of service." Klaus murmurs with a chuckle, easily manouevering his car through the tight twists and turns of London.

"So where are we going? You've been mysterious on the details. Promise me you won't murder me?" She asks in a light tone just to let him know that she's teasing.

Klaus surprises her with a burst of genuine laughter that gives her a warm feeling in her chest.

"I can promise you that I'm not a serial killer Caroline." His tone sounds almost fond as she leans over to fiddle with the controls to the heater. There had been a certain chill in the air this morning.

Klaus pauses for a moment before sighing.

"I can see that you're not going to let up before I tell you. We're going to Wiltshire today."

She glances out the window, city slowly giving way into country as Klaus hits the accelerator.

"Okay. What's in Wiltshire? Apart from Draco Malfoy's mansion?"

Klaus gives her a _look._

"Of course you'd be a Harry Potter fan." Klaus finally remarks with a sigh.

She looks at him, horrified.

"You're not?"

Klaus sniffs, turning his attention back to the road.

"Honestly sweetheart, I can't say I've really seen too many of them."

She crosses her arms over her chest, tapping her foot against the floor of the Maserati.

"That, is something that we will need to rectify at some point."

* * *

They drive for another hour, and she can't help but sit up and stare at the rolling green countryside that surrounds them everywhere she looks.

She's never seen anything like it, not even back home. Sam Houston National Forest, which was close to the Karolyi Ranch where she'd spent a lot of time training was beautiful in it's own way, untamed forests and stunning colours in the Autumn when green turned to red.

But this was another thing, picturesque and like something from a movie, with it's neatly ordered paddocks and flocks of sheep.

"It's nice to get out of London sometimes." Klaus muses out loud, as if reading her thoughts. He's tapping his fingers against the steering wheel in time with the music. "Perspective is always good." He adds, almost as an afterthought.

"It must be hard living your life in the spotlight. For you and your family… How do you deal with it?" She asks quietly, one song melding into another in the background, the purring of the engine beneath her the only sound in the small space.

That was the great thing she'd found about hanging out with Klaus. It was never awkward with them. It was simple, easy, like breathing. He was a bit of a flirt to be sure, but he never overstepped his bounds, respecting her need for space and breathing room.

She wasn't sure what to make of it. She was attracted to him, and she would have totally acted upon it, but she knew that she had the tendency to fall deep into a relationship, and she wasn't quite sure if she was ready for that with Klaus.

The rumour mill was already swirling, and it was not something that she wanted to be a part of, especially so close to the ending of Tatia and Klaus' fauxmance, a pairing that the rest of the world believed to be an actual relationship.

"It was hard at first." Klaus admits, slowing down as they approach an intersection. "When I was younger, it was practically the culture in the game to go out and party a lot, pick up girls and wear expensive clothes, drive flashy cars." Klaus gestures with an elegant hand to the Maserati, which easily retailed for upwards of 100,000 pounds.

"I know it was hard on my family as well. I don't think any of us were really prepared when I got signed for the first time. They all got harassed and followed to varying degrees, some more than others. Rebekah managed to scare them off pretty quickly, as I recall." Klaus' lips quirk into a smile at some far off memory, and she can't help but imagine exactly what Rebekah did all those years ago.

"You become accustomed, eventually." Klaus continues, voice low and soothing. "I never bought into the culture of the game, of what happened outside of it. I cared more about winning and succeeding, making a name for myself on the field rather than off it. That wasn't exciting enough for the press, and they grew bored soon enough. There are far more interesting people than I that play the sport." Klaus admits with another quick smile.

"I think you're pretty interesting, for the record." She voices out loud.

It's another ten minutes before they arrive at their destination, her untrained eye able to pick out an immaculately maintained football field, empty of players and with no one else around for miles.

Klaus swings into the empty parking lot, manoeuvring the Maserati into place and killing the ignition. She steps out of the car, slamming the door behind her as she jogs towards the edge of the field, stepping out onto the freshly mowed grass, taking note of the white lines delineating the pitch.

When she glances over her shoulder, Klaus is watching her in amusement as he slings a blanket over his shoulder, a basket held in one hand, the other closing the boot of the car.

"Your first pitch?" She guesses as Klaus moves to join her. There's a football at his feet, and he's guiding it almost absentmindedly, like the ball is just an extension of the boot that he's wearing. It's how she feels sometimes when she trains, the motions automatic.

"Got it in one sweetheart." Klaus confirms for her as they fall into step together. "We haven't had a day like this in a while. I figured it would be nice to get away from the city for awhile."

"You'll hear no objections from me." Caroline replies as Klaus deposits the basket into the grass, ball rolling to a stop beside it. The blanket is unfurled in the next moment and then they're both settling in.

She can't help but splay onto her back, eyes squinting up at the bluebird sky as her the sun warms her face.

"You know for a moment, I could almost believe that I'm in America." She's thinking out loud as Klaus reaches for the basket, handing her a sandwich and a bottle of water before he's propping himself up on his elbow beside her, long legs stretched across the blanket.

"Almost?" Klaus asks curiously, opening his own water and taking a long pull.

She turns her head to face him with a smile.

"It's markedly cooler here despite the sunshine." She teases as Klaus refrains from rolling his eyes. "And I'm lying on a blanket with a guy that has quite the British accent."

"You miss it." Klaus deduces correctly as she squeezes her eyes shut.

"More than I thought I would." She takes a bite of her sandwich, mind wandering to the cosy lifestyle that she'd carved out for herself in America. The only thing that was really missing was someone to share it with, if she was being honest with herself.

The demands of her sport meant that she spent most of the day training, and the rest of her day recovering from her training. Her livelihood depended on the sponsors that she could pull in, and the sponsorship depended on her ranking and how well she did in competitions and in meets.

Once the ranking went, so too did the sponsors. She'd managed to hold onto most of them despite her injury, and especially now that Alaric had spread the word that she was going to be back.

"Do you have siblings?" Klaus asks, making his way through his own lunch.

"Just me and my mom. It's been like that for as long as I can remember. My dad walked out on us. My mom was the one that took me to all my practices and meets, even if we had to drive across three states to get there. She knew that I was serious about it, made a lot of sacrifices for me. I imagine you would have had the same with your parents."

"With my mother, yes." Klaus lips quirk up into a smile. "She's not the warmest of people but she cared in her own way. My father hasn't been in the picture for some time either."

"And Tatia?" She asks, voice dipping low.

Klaus' look is one of bemusement as he glances at her this time, but he spares her further embarrassment by answering her question.

"We crossed paths at a party, and the ensuing encounter was captured by an enthusiastic partygoer who then proceeded to post it online. As it happens, it quickly ended up splashed across the tabloids."

Klaus plucks a stalk off grass from the ground beneath him, twirling it between slender fingers.

"As I mentioned to you before, I owed Marcel a favour. He asked me to continue the illusion that we were together and that was it. I decided to end things once Tatia made it clear that she didn't need me in order to live her own life."

"And that was it?" She asks incredulously, because this was still new to her, this glittering world of fauxmances and constantly living a life in the spotlight.

"That was it." Klaus replies, getting to his feet and dusting off the seat of his sweatpants. He holds out a hand for her and she takes it, letting him pull her to her feet.

"What now?" She asks after a moment, blinking the sunlight from her eyes as Klaus juggle the ball with his foot.

"I want to see your form sweetheart." He remarks with a roguish grin, turning and sending the ball rocketing towards the goal. She watches in amazement as the ball curls, thundering into the back of the net.

Of course, that's why he gets paid obscene amounts of money, why they call him the captain with the golden boot.

It's a sneaky tactic, to get her to jog towards the goal, to work out her knee. She's pleased that there's no pain, no discomfort, and soon she's lengthening her strides, hair streaming behind her as Klaus chases her towards the goal.

"I'll stay here." Klaus says, "Off you go."

She returns the ball to a short distance from the goal, turning to face Klaus who has his hands on her hips.

"So I just kick it?" She asks uncertainly as Klaus lets out a chuckle, hands braced against his knees as he sinks into a keeping stance.

"Try and aim for the goal." He coaches her. "Use the inside of your foot to kick, not your toe."

She backs up a few steps so she has a run up, trying to cast her mind back to any games she'd watched on tv, attempting to replicate the form that way.

Her first attempt is rather pathetic, the ball rolling straight towards Klaus' foot as he tries not to laugh.

He flicks it upwards, bouncing it off his chest as he kicks it gently back towards her.

"Don't be afraid to use a bit more power sweetheart. You're not going to hurt me." He teases as she scowls at him, trapping the ball under her foot. She can't help but be wary of her knee, very much aware that she's resting all of her weight onto that leg when she goes to kick the ball.

Her second attempt is a little better, even if it rockets straight into Klaus' hands. He looks surprised at the force behind her kick, and she smiles sweetly at him as he lets out a surprised bark of laughter.

"You've been holding back on me sweetheart." He points out, rolling the ball back towards her. "Have you played before?"

"Just a kick around with friends." She replies absentmindedly, eyes casting over the net, looking for a weak spot in Klaus' seemingly impenetrable defence. Given his experience she's quite proud that she's managed to even catch him off guard.

Her third attempt has him leaping for it, ball bouncing off the underside of the cross bar before landing in the left corner of the net.

"Yes!" She yells, punching the air and spinning around in victory. "Score one for Forbes." She adds, even as Klaus retrieves the ball and comes towards her.

"Not bad love. You could go out for football if the gymnastics career isn't sustainable." He bumps his hip against hers playfully, and she pushes back at him with a laugh.

"This is fun." She blurts out loud before she can stop herself.

Klaus just gives her a smile, not having to voice his agreement.

"I'm glad. A lot of girls that I've hung out with don't really get the game. I know it's not for everyone, but you seem to enjoy it, if the way Kol speaks of your exuberance at games is any indication."

"You guys are good to watch. Did you end up sorting out your mess with your teammate?" She asks, stealing the ball out from under Klaus' foot and dribbling it idly, eyes on the ball just in case.

"Of course. I'm familiar with the bouncer, and thankfully was able to smooth things over without involving the authorities. As it turns out, it wasn't even the young lads fault. A fan of a rival team through a punch unprovoked, there were several eyewitnesses that were willing to help out if needed."

A quick moment later and Klaus has the ball in his possession, steering around her as she tries to steal the ball again. He makes it next to impossible, and she totally gets why he's one of the top players in the League, because his feet are magic, quick movements moving the ball in every which direction.

"I give up!" She yells after him with a laugh, ambling over to the rug that's still in the middle of the pitch, reaching for a bottle of water.

She returns to her previous position, laying on her back and squinting up towards the weak sunlight. Klaus soon joins her, the side of his body pressed against hers, throwing off heat.

"I wanted to ask you something." Klaus remarks suddenly, head turning to look at her, feet crossed at the ankle as she meets his eyes curiously.

"Okay." She replies, waiting for him to continue. He looks like he's searching for the right words to say for a moment.

"Next month there's a charity gala that my team always attends. Wives, girlfriends, and family members usually come along as well. It's usually a good night, even if it isn't usually my scene." Klaus wrinkles his nose at the thought, and she stops herself from laughing.

"Would you like to come along? I know that Bekah and Kol are both going, and Kat and Elijah also." Klaus reassures her, even though she already knows all of this.

"With you?" She asks quietly, as he blinks once, as if surprised at her question.

"If that's something that you're okay with?" Klaus voices it like a question, giving her room to refuse if she wants. It's gentlemanly of him and she can't help but smile.

"Yeah okay."

Klaus flashes her a quick grin, his smile brilliant.

"Excellent. Should we head back to London before it rains?" He asks, glancing up at the heavy purple clouds that have seemingly blanketed the sky in a very short amount of time.

"That sounds like a great idea." She finds herself agreeing quickly, dusting off the seat of her tights as she gets to her feet.

They work quickly to sweep up the rug and the basket, Caroline dribbling the ball somewhat inexpertly with her feet as the first fat drops of rain begin to fall.

"Any chance of me having a turn behind the wheel?" She asks playfully, as Klaus shoots her an incredulous look.

"And have you total my car? Absolutely not."

"Hey I resent that statement." She shoots back, sliding into the passengers seat of the car, Klaus helpfully holding the door for her, closing it when she's settled in. Klaus soon joins her, and then he's swinging the Maserati out of the carpark, flicking on the wipers.

"Thanks for today, for showing me your passion." She voices quietly, over the white noise of the radio. "It was a lot of fun."

"I know the game isn't for everyone." Klaus replies. "But I'm glad you enjoyed yourself sweetheart."

He pauses, fingers drumming against the steering wheel.

"For the record, I really enjoyed today as well."

* * *

 **AN: Okay, so it's been awhile since I've updated this, and I'm sorry! Real life has been crazy, my mind has been crazy, and I've been a little all over the place so haven't really written alot. But still here, even if it's chipping away in the background.**

 **I know it doesn't seem like it, but Klaus showing her where it all began for him was a pretty big deal. He generally doesn't have a lot of trust for people outside of his immediate family in this universe, so the fact that he was willing to do this with Caroline speaks volumes for the respect he has for her, not just as a fellow athlete, but as a person as well.**

 **We'll see Caroline return the favour in future chapters.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, the Originals would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

Alaric has his game face on when she settles the laptop on the table in front of her, sinking into one of the comfy kitchen chairs.

"Talk to me about your progress." He demands right off, not really leaving her room to begin their conversation.

She tells him everything, leaving nothing out, including the minor setback she'd had the previous fortnight when she'd gone to see Enzo. She'd thrown herself back into her training at the gym with a steady determination each day, and she'd seen a clear change already, both physically and mentally.

As she suspected, given her previous levels of fitness before her injury it hadn't take her long to get back into a rhythm. She'd always loved exercising, loved the rush it gave her, how happy it made her feel.

She didn't have to give a shit about anything at the gym, could just chuck her hair back into a messy top knot and do her worst. She wasn't there to pick up guys, so she didn't really care about what they thought of her, sweaty and with not a lick of makeup on her skin.

Alaric purses his lips together but doesn't make any moves to interrupt her.

"Honestly, it was better than I was expecting Caroline. It sounds like you're in an okay place, the goal is to keep you there, and then when you're ready, get you to that better place."

"Okay." She agrees with Ric, lifting a hand to wave at Kol who was on his way out the door. Kol calls something out to her that she doesn't hear, and she makes a mental note to text him a little later to check that he doesn't need her to pick up anything for dinner today.

"Alright so to qualify for the Olympics, you need to compete at the P & G championships, and you need to do well. It's not a big deal if you don't medal, but it would be great if you could. They're held towards the end of June next year. It's only October now, so we have plenty of time for recovery, but it'll be crunch time when you start choreographing new routines for competition season."

"And then trials are in mid July." Caroline fills in the next sentence for him, watching as he nods once in confirmation.

"Yes. We need you to be be in fighting form by then. This is the biggest test that you're going to face, possibly in your entire career. Although there are a lot of people on your side, there are also a few naysayers, and unfortunately if you don't score well they're going to pass you over for someone younger, in better shape. I know it's not fair, but if you're not worth the investment, they will cut you from the team. You and I are not going to let that happen."

"No sir." She replies immediately, wrapping her arms around her middle, trying to imagine that crushing disappointment after months of hard work and rehabilitation and recovery.

"They're already eyeing off a young up and comer. Hayley Marshall. Lots of natural talent, but her technique leaves a lot to be desired. You can bet your bottom dollar that she's going to be training her arse off if she thinks she has a shot at taking your place on the team. The Captaincy will probably go to Gilbert if you don't get in."

"I'm sure she's good, but she's going to have to wait her turn." Caroline pronounces firmly, adding another reason to her list as to why she needs to get back in fighting form.

"That's the spirit sweetheart." Alaric remarks with a smile. "I've got a surprise for you." He adds, before shifting to the side, calling over his shoulder for someone.

She can't help but let the grin overtake her face as Elena, little Vicki Donovan, and April wave at her from the other side of the world. When you go through so much, live with your teammates, they become bonded to you, something different to family but almost as close.

The girls crowd around the screen, chattering over the top of each other, Vicki going on about how she'd nailed a particularly difficult combo on the bars the other day in training, April gushing about the latest thing her boyfriend had surprised her with.

She had _missed_ these girls, even Elena with her crazy Salvatore boy drama.

"How are you guys?" She finally asks once the chatter has slowed somewhat, and the other girls reply with a chorus of positives, Elena flashing her a wide grin.

"We've missed having you around Caroline. How's your knee going?" Vicki asks sympathetically, hand pressing up against the screen.

"It's been better." She admits out loud. "But the physiotherapist is really positive about how things are going, and it looks like I should be fighting fit for Championships in June."

"That is excellent news." April replies. "It's wouldn't be the same with you as our fearless leader. And god knows having that bitch Hayley around is not helping matters. She's walking around like she's already going to the Olympics next year. Insufferable really."

"This is why we need you, I think I would murder her if I had to bunk with her at Buenos Aires." Elena declares with a roll of her eyes. "She really is a bit of a diva."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there with you guys. I think a sea change has done me some good though."

"Very good, if the DailyMail is any indication." April remarks somewhat teasingly. "Tell me, is Klaus Mikaelson as gorgeous in the flesh as he is on camera?"

Caroline laughs a little at her team mates line of questioning.

"Nice try, but we're just friends April. He's really sweet though. Whoever his girlfriend ends up being will be lucky girl I'm sure."

April doesn't look convinced, but nods along anyway.

Vicki looks over her shoulder at someone off screen, pausing to listen to whatever they were saying before turning back towards her somewhat regretfully.

"Care, we've got training in about ten minutes, so we've gotta go." Vicki smiles apologetically. "But we insisted on saying hello when we found out that Alaric was talking to you. Keep us posted on how things are going?"

"Definitely. Bye guys!" She calls, talking to the trio of girls in general, a sudden pang of home sickness in her stomach.

She and Alaric talk for a few more minutes, and she updates him on what she's got planned for the next few weeks before finally signing off.

With a rival gunning for her position and her back to the wall, it seemed that she had work to do.

* * *

"Are you sure that you're ready for this?" Enzo asks as he holds open the heavy glass door for her. She steps into the gymnasium and it's like she's home.

The blue sprung floors, the set of bars, the beam and the vault are all nestled within the massive space, all achingly familiar to her.

She grips the strap of her sports bag tightly where it's slung over her shoulder and nods.

"It's now or never, I think." She replies as she steps further into the gymnasium. There were a few gymnasts practicing in the space, and she steps carefully around other sports bags before stepping up to the front desk.

The woman's eyes land on her, and it takes a few moments before they're lighting up in recognition.

"Caroline Forbes." Is all the woman says before she's nodding as a way of reply. "Welcome. Is she one of yours?" She directs this question towards where Enzo is standing just behind her.

She sees him nod out of the corner of her eye.

"You know the rules then, Augustine." The woman replies, handing her over a pass that will allow her to swipe in and out of the gym during opening hours. "As a quick crash course for you Caroline, normal gymnasium rules apply."

As foreign sounding as that may be to anyone else not overly familiar with this kind of training facility, the words are at once wholly familiar. To put it simply, you respected the equipment, and you respected the other girls who were training. No equipment stealing, and don't mess up the space with chalk.

"Got it, thanks."

Enzo steers her over to the bleachers, where she drops her bags and starts taking off her shoes.

"How are you feeling?" Enzo asks, watching her carefully as she takes off her jacket to reveal her training leotard. It had felt strange, slipping into the revealing garment earlier.

It was Enzo that had insisted on the leotard after she'd suggested tights, mentioning that he needed to see how her knee was performing, and he couldn't do that under a layer of fabric. He had a point, and he was the expert, so she had conceded.

"It's a bit weird. Unfamiliar but familiar at the same time." She finally replies as she begins taping up her wrists.

They wouldn't be doing anything too strenuous today, definitely no tumbling. She was still weeks away from tumbling.

But taping her wrists had become one of those rituals that she'd told Klaus about all those weeks ago. It was soothing motion more than anything.

She can't help but think about Klaus, about their time together the other weekend. She can't help but feel like they'd taken a step forward with whatever their friendship was turning into. He'd been away travelling for a couple of games lately.

"Are you here Caroline?" Enzo asks teasingly, waving a hand in front of her face. She lets out a startled burst of laughter, completely caught out.

"Sorry. I'm good, promise."

"Excellent." Enzo replies, a grin spreading slowly across his face. "Let's get started then, shall we?"

They avoid the sprung floor in the centre of the gymnasium. She wasn't ready to step back onto those particular mats just yet, and Enzo seemed to know this just as well as she did.

They didn't go to the vault either, knowing that her knee wasn't quite ready to face the explosive sort of power needed to complete the intricate twists and turns that a vault usually required.

She never had liked the beam much. It was the hardest apparatus by far to master, and one bad fall was usually enough to strike fear into the hearts of even the most fearless competitors. She'd actually broken her collarbone when she was younger taking a tumble off the beam, at one of her first big meets.

But she wasn't the beam specialist on their team, so as long as she completed her routines relatively unscathed she didn't usually have to worry about it. But Enzo had insisted, mentioning that the beam would be the least stressful on her knee given the gentler movements that usually took place on the apparatus.

Enzo stands beside her as she mounts, watching as her knee bends and flexes as she finally gets to a standing position.

"How did that feel? I need you to be completley honest with me through this whole process." Enzo remarks lightly as he puts his hands in his pockets and cranes his neck to look at her.

"It was fine actually." She says, a little surprised at just how easy that had been.

Enzo looks pleased, if not a little proud.

"Good. You're obviously doing the right things at the gym. Continue please." He says a little bossily, waving one hand towards the beam.

She pauses, not sure what to do next. She remembers every single one of her routines that she'd ever performed on this apparatus, from the basic to the difficult.

It seems natural to walk forwards into a handstand, balancing her body for a long moment before dipping her legs out into a split. This was something that she could do, she realises with a grin as she bends her right leg before coming back to her feet.

"That looked impressive." Enzo points out with a chuckle. "Now try a leap. Let me know if it hurts."

She backs up a little, muscle memory coming back to her in bits and pieces as she takes her stance, arms floating around her just like old times.

It's with another breath that she starts forward, a simple split leap to start things off. The sound of her feet landing back on the beam with a slam echoes around the space, and she can't help but be a little startled, wobbling slightly.

"You're doing good. Okay?" Enzo asks in concern as she takes another breath to centre herself before she nods.

"Yeah it was fine. Want me to try another?"

Enzo nods as she takes another step forward, building up the power needed for a scissor leap. This one was slightly harder than the split one she'd done previously, but she still manages to complete the movement, her feet landing back securely on the beam as she pivots with a smile.

"Ta da!" She does some jazz hands as Enzo laughs.

"Alright then you show off. How about you show me what you've got on the bars?"

They spend another hour in the gymnasium as she goes through some of the movements, reacquainting herself with the equipment as she blocks out her surroundings.

She's dripping with sweat when she's done, but she's proud of herself as she finally dusts the chalk off her hands. No matter what anyone said, today had been a massive step forward for her today, and she wouldn't let anyone ruin that happiness.

Enzo seems to agree, clapping her on the shoulder.

"Great work today Caroline, really." He remarks as they step across the mats towards her gym bag.

"I'd have to agree, she looks great out there." Another, very familiar voice drawls as she looks up in shock.

Klaus is perched on the bench above her gym bag, elbows resting on his knees as he grins at her.

"When did you get back?" She asks, leaping up the bench and bending down to give him a hug. She smells his cologne as he returns the hug before she takes a step back.

"Got in last night, spent most of today sleeping. We're through to the finals, which is always good." Klaus flashes her a quick grin, and she smiles in return, seeing how happy he is about that. "Bekah mentioned you might be here." He adds, beating her to her next question.

"Mikaelson, good to see you. How's the knee holding up?" Enzo asks, reaching up to shake Klaus' proffered hand.

She turns to look at him in shock as he winks at her somewhat sheepishly. Klaus had had a knee injury? And he hadn't told her?

"Better than ever mate. No trouble this season so far, knock on wood." Klaus raps his knuckles against the bench beneath him. "I didn't know that you were in charge of Caroline's physio. You couldn't be in better hands sweetheart."

"Don't I know it." She replies with a quick grin towards Enzo, who just rolls his eyes playfully at her.

She sits down on the bench next to Klaus, knocking one of her knees against his as she bites at the tape around her wrists.

Klaus glances at her in dismay before taking one of her hands and unwrapping the tape, carrying on a conversation with Enzo simultaneously. She just sits there, absolutely dumbfounded, trying to figure out what to do as Klaus unravels the tape and drops her wrist.

He glances at her and she sighs, holding out her other wrist as he repeats the motions, answering a few more questions Enzo has about his recovery and how he's been doing since then.

She can see Enzo packing up, spinning his keys around his finger as he grins at Klaus with a lazy smile.

"Well, I think my work here is done for the day. Are you okay to get home Caroline?"

She glances sideways at Klaus, pulling on her sweatpants and pulling her sneakers towards her.

"Oh I"m sure I'll be able to hitch a ride with somebody." She replies nonchalantly as Klaus lets out a soft laugh.

"Very well then. Same time Thursday?" Enzo enquires after a pause.

"I'll see you then!" She flashes a grin at him as Enzo leans over to give Klaus another hand shake before turning and making his way across the gymnasium.

"So what _are_ you doing here?" She asks once Enzo is out of earshot.

"Well if you're like me after a tough session, I figured you'd probably be pretty hungry. Want to get something to eat?"

She doesn't hesitate before telling him yes.

* * *

She wasn't quite sure what she was expecting when Klaus steered her towards the building on the corner, but the homey pub she found within certainly wasn't it.

"This is nice." She admits out loud as Klaus pulls a chair out for her, before sitting opposite her and shrugging off his jacket. He's wearing a henley underneath that clings wonderfully to his chest and shoulders, and she can't help but let her gaze linger a little bit.

Klaus' lips curl upwards in amusement, as he watches her watch him, and she drops her eyes to the menu in front of her, pretending to read the wine list.

"You said you were in the finals now?" She asks cheerily, breaking the odd sort of silence between them.

Klaus nods, fingers tapping against the wooden tabletop.

"A hard fought game, but yes. We have a week off, so we'll be headed to a training camp in Spain day after tomorrow. We'll be back in England in time for the next game."

"Congratulations." Is all she can say in reply as her eyes roam the dinner menu.

"Thanks. You'll be there at the the next game?" Klaus asks lightly as her eyes meet his. He looks hopeful, a little vulnerable, and she doesn't hesitate in answering him.

"Of course. There's nowhere else that I'd choose to be." She reassures him, watching his face light up at her response.

"Good." He nods to himself as the waiter pauses in front of their table, a somewhat star struck look on his face as he realises just who is sitting in front of him.

"Are you ready to order?" The younger boy asks nervously. "I'm a big fan by the way. That goal you scored in the last game was magic."

Klaus smiles lazily up at the boy.

"Thanks for watching lad. I think we are ready to order. Caroline?" He directs those blue eyes to her and the waiter pivots, a somewhat apologetic smile on his face as he realises that she's sitting there as well.

"I'll just have the salad, and some water. Thanks." She tells the boy, closing her menu and handing it to him. Klaus rattles off his order and does the same, and then they're left alone.

"That poor boy, looked like he was going to faint on the spot." She remarks with a soft laugh once the waiter is well and truly out of earshot.

Klaus smiles bashfully.

"It's probably one of the more extreme reactions I've had. Far better than the ones that try to kiss me or the mothers that invite me home to dinner to meet their daughters."

Caroline covers her mouth with her hand, muffling her laughter.

"No." She finally gasps out incredulously as Klaus nods.

"I'm not kidding. It's only happened once or twice, but it's still happened all the same. Luckily I was still with Tatia both times it happened, so I've had the perfect excuse to respectfully decline the invitation."

She can't help but notice that Klaus is subconsciously mirroring her posture, one hand resting on the table, leaning in closer to her over the din of the pub.

"It seems you've made some progress as well since we last met sweetheart." Klaus points out, turning the conversation back on her.

"Yes, definitely. Enzo has been fantastic in helping me with recovery. You didn't tell me that you had a knee injury though. When did that happen?" She asks, trying to change the subject without him noticing.

It doesn't work.

"I'll tell you about it another time. But I want to talk about you. Things seem to be going well?"

"Yeah they are." She nods in agreement. "A lot of progress. Although…" She trails off, biting her lips as thoughts of Hayley Marshall fill her mind.

Klaus touches her hand gently, bringing her back down to earth.

"What's wrong Caroline?" He asks, brow furrowing with concern.

"There's this girl back in America. She's younger, the next big thing in my sport. Ric thinks that if I don't compete well enough, if I don't get better in time, then she'll take my spot on the team. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but it wasn't something that I had anticipated having to deal with on top of everything else."

"You'll be fine." Klaus reassures her. "I have great faith in you and your ability to do amazing things Caroline Forbes."

The rest of their meal passes in contemplative silence, each of them occasionally commenting on something random they'd been waiting to tell the other about. It's easy, comfortable, not at all awkward despite the curious glances that Klaus is getting from the other patrons on the regular.

Once they've cleared their plates Klaus challenges her to a game of pool. She doesn't turn him down, picking up their drinks and following him over to one of the recently vacated pool tables.

He breaks and she keeps an eye out for how he plays, trying to see if he's one she can beat. They banter in between shots, and she tries not to make it obvious that she's kicking his arse. In fact, Klaus only seems to realise that he's lost when she sinks her last ball and sticks her tongue out at him somewhat playfully.

"That was ruthless sweetheart." He remarks accusingly as he comes to stand next to her, bumping his hip against hers. "I don't think I've lost quite that bad in some time. Promise you won't tell my brother? I'd never hear the end of it."

"Your secret is safe with me." She replies with a grin as she plucks Klaus' pool cue from his hand and replaces it on the rack. "I actually have to go. But I had fun tonight. Thanks for covering dinner."

"Pleasure. Let me walk you out, get you a cab." Klaus falls into step with her as she grabs her purse, a hand on the small of her back when they navigate through the more crowded sections of the pub.

The cold air hits her like a slap to the face, and she can't help but do a full body shiver at the sensation. Klaus notices, stepping towards her with a sigh as he wraps his arms around her, pulling her into his chest.

He's throwing off an incredible amount of heat, leather jacket repelling most of the cold air. She laces her fingers where they rest at the small of his back, pressing her cheek into his shirt.

"Better?" He asks amusedly, glancing down at her before returning his gaze to the street, looking for a cab for her.

She nods, fingers tightening against the muscle of his back as another gust of cold wind blows. Klaus tucks some of her hair behind her ear as she glances up at him with a quick smile. He's looking away from her, hailing a cab that screeches to a halt on the pavement in front of her.

"Thanks." She remarks lightly, going up on tip toes to press a kiss to his stubbled cheek. Klaus' eyes widen in surprise as he catches her around the waist.

 _He's about to kiss me._ Caroline realises all at once as Klaus ducks his head, thumb swiping over her cheekbone.

His lips hover over hers, _so close_ but so far at the same time. All it would take is for her to rise up on her toes, close that distance…

The blare of a horn makes her jump, and she turns as the cabbie at the wheel winds down his window.

"Are you coming or not? I don't have all night to wait around for you." He says a little rudely.

Klaus laughs but lifts her hand, pressing his lips to the back of it.

"Off you go then love. Message me once you're home alright?"

She swallows audibly, stepping away from Klaus as he opens the door to the taxi for her. She slides into the backseat, Klaus closing the door with a snap as he steps back up onto the kerb.

The taxi lurches away from the pub and she gives the driver Kol's address somewhat absentmindedly, leaning back into the seat.

She's helpless to stop the smile from creeping across her face.

* * *

 **AN: Hi guys! I know it's been awhile on this one, but I'm hoping now that Growing Strong is complete I'll be able to focus on this one a little bit more. I've also been chipping away at Up All Night Til The Sun's rewrite in the background. I want to get a few chapters ahead before I start posting, but hope you guys will love it!**

 **Caroline starts to make leaps and bounds with her training, and discovers that she has a rival back home in the form of Hayley Marshall. Klaus' team are through to the finals- we'll see another game of his in the next chapter or so. He's also leaving for a week for a training camp in Spain, so he may not be as present in the next chapter.**

 **Next up, Rebekah, Caroline, and Katherine go to ballet class, and Kol is his usual, delightful self.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, the Originals would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

In that hazy state between sleeping and waking, all she can hear is crunching. That in itself is odd enough, because she's pretty sure that she shut her bedroom door last night, and that it definitely isn't her making that noise.

She takes a deep breath, cracking open her eye, trying to find the source of the apparent disturbance in her bedroom.

A rustling of the paper has her turning her head to the left, and she immediately scrambles away from Kol Mikaelson with a softly uttered curse.

"What the hell Kol? Personal space!" She shrieks, pulling the covers up to her chest, even though she's fully clothed.

"I own this space darling." Kol replies with a roll of the eyes, scooping some cereal into his mouth from the breakfast bowl sitting in his lap. "Good morning to you as well. Are you always this delightful in the morning?"

He's leaning up against her headboard, feet crossed at the ankle with a folded paper held in his hand. And technically he did have a point, it was his name on the deed.

Caroline slumps onto her back, pulling a pillow over her face with a soft groan.

" _What_ the hell are you doing in my room at…" She trails off, peeking at the alarm clock. "Seven in the morning?"

Kol just shrugs, eyes on the paper in front of him.

"Bonnie left for work in the middle of the night. I was bored. I have the day off today." Kol supplies as she just stops and stares at him. "I figured we could bond."

"That still does not answer my question. At all."

Kol just sighs, laying down his paper like she's interrupted something important.

"I thought you could do with some prior warning before you stepped out of the building today. While you were sneaking back in last night- don't think I didn't hear you darling, you need to work on your stealth, the paparazzi were selling off shots of you and my brother to the highest bidder. Apparently the DailyMail won."

Kol presses a few buttons on his iPhone before handing it to her.

"Fuck." She murmurs, scrolling through the article and the accompanying pictures of her wrapped up in Klaus' arms last night. They'd even got a photo of their almost kiss, including the kiss he'd placed on the back of her hand as a substitute.

"Not exactly how I'd put it but yes, I understand the sentiment." Kol pronounces delicately. "Are you okay? Do you need to talk about it?"

"Is it not weird, me discussing your brother with you?"

Kol wrinkles his nose delicately.

"Caroline, I grew up with Rebekah. Given how close in age we were, and how I was around more often than Nik or Elijah, she saw fit to tell me all about her boy problems, often despite me telling her that I had no inclination to sit and listen to her. I can assure you that it would not be weird, if you really needed me to listen."

She paused for a moment, somewhat touched by Kol's words. She'd come here to stay with Bonnie, but Kol had well and truly cemented himself in her life as a good friend.

"I like your brother, although I'm pretty sure that you already knew that. And I think that he likes me."

"Caroline, the word 'think' in this scenario is definitely an understatement. My brother likes you very much, even a blind man could see it." Kol replies.

"The second part of that statement makes no sense." She points out, the rational part of her brain kicking in as Kol lets out a sigh, holding his hand out for his phone.

She returns it carefully.

"For someone so brilliant at what you do, you can be incredibly oblivious. My brother has liked you pretty much from the moment he's met you, even if he'll never admit it to anyone else. You challenge him in a way that no one else has outside of his immediate family for a long time."

She falls silent at that, pondering his words.

"I can see that something is holding you back. If it's because you think things would be strange what with you being friends with myself and Rebekah and Katherine, please don't let that stop you. As I'm sure you can tell, we all really love having you around and we would think no less of you if you decided to pursue something with Nik. In fact I think Rebekah would be over the moon."

She lets out a huff, blowing some hair away from her face.

"I have a tendency to lose myself a little when I start a new relationship. And your brother… he's something else entirely. I don't want to get distracted. And then there's the fact that we live on opposite sides of the world."

"You're thinking too much." Kol points out. "Okay yeah, the fact that you live in America probably isn't ideal, but you're not in America right now, are you?"

"No, but I will be next year. It'll be crazy Kol, with me trying to qualify for the Olympics, Klaus no doubt trying to do the same for his football. It wouldn't be a proper relationship. It wouldn't be fair on either of us."

Kol places a hand over her mouth, and she refrains from licking it, because she has a feeling that Kol just wants her to shut up and listen to what he has to say.

"Caroline, you're talking about things that will happen months from now. Even you can't predict the future. You might not make it to The Olympics, or Klaus might not make it. Both of you might. The point I'm trying to make is, you can't worry yourself over thinking about what might or might not happen. That's not how you should be living. All you can do is focus on the now, and take each day as it comes."

Kol finally removes his hand and she blinks up at him with a smile.

"You're very wise. Has anyone ever told you that?" She enquires curiously, because she gets the feeling that Kol might get outshone by his siblings on a number of occasions.

Kol just winks at her, smiling around a mouthful of cereal.

* * *

"God I'm going to be so sore after this." Rebekah grumbles from the floor as she laces up her ballet shoes. "It's been far to long since I've been en pointe."

Caroline lets out a soft laugh, the sound of classical music filtering around the studio. She tests her own ballet shoes, worn in from countless classes. She should probably get a new pair soon, can see that her current pair are nearing the end of their shelf life so to speak.

"Thanks for coming Bekah. I really do appreciate it." She tells the other girl, who shoots her a quick smile before standing, wiggling her feet to ensure that her shoes are laced correctly.

"I said before it was absolutely no problem. It's actually a nice break from what I usually do, nights spent in front of the television while I figure out how long it's been since I've had sex." Rebekah replies nonchalantly, just as the female ballet teacher saunters past them, grey hair pulled back into a tight bun.

Rebekah is the recipient of a somewhat scandalised glance from the teacher, who pretends that they don't exist as she rummages around in her dance bag for something.

Caroline just slaps her palm to her mouth, masking her giggle as Rebekah casts a glance over her shoulder.

"Looks like Katherine is pretty comfortable. God, the bitch can do anything." Rebekah sighs enviously as they both turn where Katherine is stretching up against the barre, looking every inch like a prima ballerina.

"I heard that." Katherine replies mildly, an amused smile playing on her lips as the woman twists her body towards them. "But I'll let it slide because I know you're only envious because you love me." Katherine purses her lips and blows them a kiss as Rebekah rolls her eyes with a smile.

"You're lucky you're engaged to my brother Pierce, I don't know where we'd be otherwise."

Katherine just smiles like the cat that's got the cream, not deigning to reply to Rebekah's teasing.

The teacher chooses that moment to straighten up, clapping her hands together as she calls the class to attention.

She and Rebekah take up position at the barre behind Katherine, ready for whatever warm up the teacher decided on.

She listens carefully as the teacher explains the movements, all very basic and straightforward, for which she is immensely grateful. She wasn't quite ready to launch back into the super difficult stuff that she was doing back in America while she trained.

It's easy enough to fall into the same pattern and routine though, and after a few fumbles she feels like she's getting her muscle memory working again, flowing through the changes in positions and exercises with relatively little fuss and bother.

Rebekah is struggling, a little more rusty than she is, but the other girl keeps up admirably well. Of course, the both of them are completely outstripped by Katherine, who quickly becomes the favourite of the teacher, who takes a moment to compliment her on her carriage and form.

Katherine simply smirks over her shoulder at Rebekah, who pokes her tongue out Katherine playfully. The teacher glares at her and Rebekah, and she has to muffle her giggle as they change position again.

The end of the class comes sooner than she would have thought, and when they've finally cooled down Katherine presses a kiss to each of their cheeks before lifting an elegant hand as she swans out the door.

"Date night with Elijah." Rebekah supplies as they pull on the rest of their active wear, Rebekah zipping up her jacket nice and tightly. "I never ask for details."

Caroline holds the door open for them both as they emerge into the night.

"Fair enough. I can imagine it might be awkward hearing your friend talk about your brother in such terms."

Rebekah looks faintly amused at this, but tucks her hands into her pockets as they walk.

"Actually I've been meaning to ask about you and Nik. Have you had sex yet?" Rebekah asks innocently as she spits out the mouthful of water she'd just drunk. Water sprays all down her front as Rebekah throws her head back in laughter.

"I'll take that as a no then."

"No!" She gasps as a way of reply, wiping down her front as she screws the cap of her water bottle back on. "No oh my god why would you even ask me that?"

Rebekah lifts one shoulder into a shrug.

"The two of you seem to be getting along like a house on fire. I've not seen Nik spend so much time with a woman for quite some time. He seems at ease around you, relaxed. Odd, considering how much of a stress head he is on a normal day."

She stays silent, processing this information from Rebekah.

"Have you been on a date?" Rebekah continues her probing, a cheeky smile on her face. She doesn't hesitate to swat the blonde Mikaelson on the arm.

"Oh my god, enough. Please. I've already had exactly the same interrogation from your brother. Actually, please talk to him about the concept of personal space."

"Noted. Kol has always been a tad more socially awkward than the rest of us. Probably because of the whole academia thing. I've been meaning to check in with you anyway. I did see the pictures of you and Klaus. Just wanted to see that you're alright?"

She sighs as a way of reply, tucking her water bottle into her gym bag.

"Yeah. I"ll never get used to the intrusiveness, and it was a bit of a shock when Kol clued me in. But I guess if I"m going to hang out with him, it's a part of his life that I'll need to get used to."

Rebekah wrinkles her nose delicately.

"Klaus is honestly the most boring person in the sporting world, and I cannot for the life of me figure out why they're so interested in him. He literally recycles the same two outfits each time he goes out."

Rebekah unlocks her SUV and they both climb in, the other girl immediately fumbling for the heater.

"Bloody hell it's cold out." The other girl grumbles, holding her hands up to the vents for a moment before she puts the car into gear. "Oh I need you to come by the atelier for the final fittings for your dress. Are you free this week?"

"Yeah I can come around on Friday if that suits? How on earth have you hand sewn a dress this quickly?"

"A lot of sleepless nights, believe me." Rebekah replies, keeping an eye on the shifting traffic around them. "But there's no upcoming shows or events that I need to worry about, and I'm ahead on designing my next collection so I have a bit more spare time than I usually do. I think you're going to love it."

"With you behind the design? I'm sure it'll be perfect." She reassures Rebekah, who gives her a pleased smile.

Like with Klaus, she can't help but be struck by just how easy it is to hang out with Rebekah. She feels like she's known the other girl for years now rather than only a month or two, and is finding it hard pressed to imagine saying goodbye to Rebekah when she goes back to America.

"Actually I kind of needed to ask your advice on guy stuff." Rebekah asks, biting her lip a little nervously. "But I have a feeling it's going to be weird."

"I am probably the last person to be giving advice on guy stuff. But do you want to go and get a late night coffee?" She asks Rebekah, sensing that the girl needs someone to talk to about this.

Ten minutes later they're seated in a mostly empty Cafe Nero, two steaming mugs of coffee sharing the table space in front of them.

"I'm sorry, I'm not usually like this." Rebekah begins. She waves the other girl away.

"That's what friends are for, right?" She asks of Rebekah, who flashes her another smile.

"Right, well I suppose I'll just come right out with it. I'm seeing someone, and I really like him." Rebekah continues without any preamble.

"So what's the issue? I'm confused." She tells Rebekah, who just sighs, taking a long sip of her coffee.

"My brothers if I'm being honest. They've always been overprotective, Elijah and Klaus especially. Klaus definitely did not approve of my last boyfriend."

"And you think he won't approve of this one?" Caroline asks warily, because she has no idea of Rebekah's taste in men, and she so does not want another Salvatore brother drama to deal with right now.

"Well I think he will. But I think it'll be awkward." Rebekah pronounces with a nod, hands laced in front of her as she stares into her cup of coffee.

"Why would it be awkward? You're not like, dating the captain of the rival team or anything like that are you?" She asks of the other girl, who looks at her horrified.

"And betray my brother like that? Definitely not." Rebekah replies, letting out a sigh before casting her gaze heavenward, as if she's mentally preparing herself to say the next sentence. "Actually you know him as well. It's Enzo."

She stares at Rebekah, momentarily shocked into silence.

"Enzo as in Enzo my physiotherapist? That Enzo?"

Rebekah hides her face in her hands.

"Oh god, I knew it was going to be weird. It's weird isn't it?" Rebekah peeks through some of her fingers at her, and she immediately moves to reassure her friend.

"Rebekah, I don't think it's weird at all. I was a bit shocked, because of all the people in the world, but I'm not weirded out. Enzo is a great guy, and I'm glad that things seem to be going well." She tells Rebekah.

"What about you and my brother then? You know that I wouldn't be totally devastated if the two of you decided to date. I hope that's not what is holding you back, because it's pretty obvious that the two of you are totally gone for each other." Rebekah points out, fingers drumming against the table.

"It's not that, promise. You know, I'm not really sure what's holding me back to be honest. My own insecurities mainly. Kol tells me that I'm overthinking things a little too much." She replies, taking a sip of her own coffee.

"You should talk to Nik. I'm sure he'd understand where you're coming from. He's probably not wanting to distract you too much either, given how busy he is as well, and how busy he knows you will be soon enough."

"Yeah I know. I will, eventually." She sighs as Rebekah gives her a look.

Rebekah downs the rest of her coffee before setting her mug down on the coaster.

"Let's wait a little bit longer to tell Klaus about Enzo?" Rebekah asks with a mischievous smile. "Wouldn't want to bother him in the lead up to finals, after all."

"Deal."

* * *

She glances down at her ringing phone, clutching it tightly in her hand as Klaus' name flashes across her screen.

This is the third time that he'd called her today. The first had been while she'd been at the gym doing some HIIT on the treadmill, the second had been while she'd been on the Tube.

Both times she'd ignored it.

She knew that she wasn't dealing with this maturely, burying her head in the sand and hoping that the whole situation would just blow over and go away. She knew that it would, the news cycle not dwelling on any one event for too long, unless a broken marriage or an affair was involved.

Since her situation with Klaus was neither of those two scenarios, she had every confidence that the paparazzi would forget about them soon enough. The paparazzi might, but Klaus wouldn't.

But now, locked in the safety of her own bedroom, Kol and Bonnie out on a date for the night, she really didn't even have any excuse for not taking his call.

The phone stops ringing before she can pick up, and she immediately finds Klaus' contact, calling him back.

He picks up on the first ring.

"Hello Caroline." He begins simply, the warmth in his voice wrapping around her like a soft caress. She immediately feels safe, all of her worries fading away as she sinks back onto the duvet with a smile.

"Klaus. I'm sorry it took me so long to pick up." She apologises, surprised that she hadn't heard any frustration in his voice at all. "It's been kind of a crazy day."

It was miles away from her ex boyfriend, who used to get angry every time she didn't pick up his calls while she was training. She had dumped him eventually, his clinginess and possessiveness too much for her to deal on top of everything else.

"Are you okay?" Klaus asks softly. "I wanted to call earlier when Kol messaged me, but I've been in training for the whole day and couldn't catch a break. But I've got time now."

She takes a breath, picturing him wearied and damp from the showers, hair curling at his temples, toes curling at the thought.

"I'm okay." She replies quietly. "It was a bit of a surprise, when Kol warned me. But it's not the first time it's happened with us, has it? Probably won't be the last either I'm sure."

Klaus chuckles.

"No it's not the first time. I wanted to apologise Caroline. I never meant to put you in a situation where you felt uncomfortable, and I feel like I might have. I know that you don't want to be distracted from your progress, and I don't want to be the one responsible for that." He tells her firmly.

She finds herself surprised by his apology, not even expecting that he'd go there at all.

"Klaus I…" She trails off uncertainly, at loss as to what to say to him.

"I know." Klaus tells her, and she doesn't have to say anything else after that, doesn't feel like she has to fill in any of the gaps for him. Somehow Klaus just _gets_ her, and that's far more of a gift than anyone else can give her at this point in time.

"Tell me about Spain." She says suddenly, steering the conversation into lighter topics. "Is it training all day every day or do you actually get a chance to see some stuff?"

Klaus laughs, a genuine sound that makes her smile.

"With finals starting next weekend I fear it's all work and no play sweetheart. Unfortunately we haven't had much of a chance to take a break and get away from the camp. But I know Rebekah is probably planning the annual Mikaelson family holiday. You're invited, of course."

"Of course." She echoes faintly. "When do you get back from Spain? I can pick you up from the airport if you'd like?" She adds a little uncertainly, unsure if he'd want that with all of his teammates around.

"I would love that." Klaus tells her firmly, as if he knows what she's thinking. "I'll message you my flight details when we're done."

"Sounds like a plan." She says lightly. "I should let you go anyway, I don't want to keep you from playing your best."

"I am a little tired." Klaus admits, and she can hear him muffing a yawn. "But Caroline? Thanks for picking up my call."

She smiles.

"Thanks for calling. I think I needed it." She admits out loud before clapping a hand over her mouth, because oh god did she really just say that out loud?

Klaus' chuckle is warm as it sounds in her ear.

"Goodnight Caroline. I'll see you soon sweetheart." He promises her and she can't help but smile again at the confidence in his tone.

"Night." She replies before ending the call and depositing her phone onto the night stand.

Her thoughts are running a million miles an hour and she presses the heels of her hand to her eyes, squeezing them shut tightly.

She wasn't sure what to feel after talking to Klaus. Somehow, reassured and happy didn't even begin to cover it.

What she did know, was that she was in some serious trouble.

* * *

 **AN**

 **Okay and here's Chapter 8! Apologies in advance for the somewhat fillers nature of this bad boy, I know not a lot really happened here, what with Klaus training off in Spain and Caroline in London.**

 **The two of them will come face to face next chapter however!**

 **Hope you all enjoyed, and see you for Chapter 9!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, The Originals and Steroline would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

She was jittery, and she knew deep down, as much as she wanted to admit it, it wasn't just from the coffee.

Heathrow airport was alive, buzzing with the hustle and bustle of thousands of travellers off to destinations unknown, and thousands more still landing. She watches the indicator board at the arrivals hall tick over, watches as Klaus' plane moves up in the queue of those waiting to land.

She's already spotted a few of the WAG's, dressed surprisingly casual for such an outing, some even with baseball caps pulled low over their faces. Of course, even the casual attire spoke strongly of money, the quality of the clothing evident event to her.

They don't make any move to talk to her, and she doesn't return the favour, content to lean up against the pole, coffee and breakfast for Klaus resting on a bench beside her.

The stream of people spilling out into the hall draws her attention, and she goes up on her toes gracefully, craning her neck as she looks for Klaus.

He's got his arm around one of the younger lads on the team when she finally spots him, the younger boy looking pale and drawn despite their week in the Spanish sunshine. Klaus gives him a gentle pat on the shoulder before steering him towards an older woman, no doubt the boy's mother if the concerned look on her face was anything to go by.

Klaus straightens, eyes sweeping around the hall before landing on her, face lighting up with a smile. He strides towards her with purpose, and when she meets him halfway she's surprised when he sweeps her up into his arms, burying his face into her neck and breathing out.

She's breathless with surprise when he finally puts her down.

"Hello to you as well." She tells him with a soft laugh, allowing him to press a gentle kiss to her cheek.

Wordlessly, she turns and hands him the coffee and breakfast muffin, watches as his eyes light up at the extra food he'd undoubtedly missed out on on the plane.

"You're an absolute gem sweetheart." He declares as he adjusts the strap of his sports bag as she steers them towards the parking section. "It's like you just _knew_ that the food I'd have on the plane would be rubbish."

She gives him a reproachful look, but leads the way towards the SUV that Kol had kindly lent her for the morning, Klaus' chuckle floating in the air behind her.

It's when she finally pulls out into the busy traffic beyond the airport that she knows that this is going to be a relatively silent car ride. Klaus is already fading, head resting against the glass of the passenger window as he fights valiantly to stay awake.

Luckily she'd managed to wrestle his address out of him before he'd gotten into this state, and she feels confident that she'll be able to follow the GPS without getting too lost.

Possibly a mixture of a week's worth of intensive training and the weariness that comes with plane travel contributes to Klaus' exhaustion, and he's out cold not even a minute later, chest falling into a deep breathing pattern as she listens to him inhale and exhale.

Smiling to herself, she lets the GPS take her further and further out of London, and it's only when city gives way to rolling green paddock does she wonder if perhaps she'd taken a wrong turn and had taken them on a detour.

She'd always assumed that Klaus lived in the city, if not for the convenience of work but to be closer to his brothers and sisters, all of whom had residences in or around London. As she had very quickly discovered with the Mikaelson's, it was family above all else.

Of course, it would make sense that Klaus, supposedly a notoriously private person, would choose to settle outside of the city, and away from the lens of the paparazzi who inhabited the streets like vultures.

He looked a lot younger when he was asleep. He was only 25 to her 21 years, young by anyone's standards, even if he was considered one of the older ones in his sport.

All of the lines on his face were smoothed away, sunlight dappling across his skin as he slept. He looked like he didn't have a care of the world, and it suddenly hits her the enormous amount of trust he must have in her, if he's willing to let her see him like this at his most vulnerable.

There are many twists and turns, but soon enough she's pulling up in front of a large black gate, a two storey house beyond the fence. She doesn't want to wake him, but there's a keypad at the gate and she doesn't know the code to get inside.

Carefully, she reaches out a hand and squeezes him gently on the shoulder.

"Klaus, wake up." She whispers to him, not wanting to startle him suddenly out of his sleep.

He comes to slowly, blinking away the haziness in his eyes as he looks at her. She can see the frown tugging at his forehead, and see the moment where he becomes aware of his surroundings and what got him there.

"We're here. I don't know what your gate code is." She supplies as he stretches out his arms with a sigh and a yawn.

"272347." He rattles off as she winds down the window, leaning out to punch the numbers into the keypad. "I'm sorry I haven't been very good company It would seem that I was more tired than I thought I was." He remarks lightly as she sweeps the car into the circular drive.

"You looked like you needed the rest, of course I wasn't going to disturb you." She replies with a grin. "And here we are." She adds as the car draws to a halt.

"Do you want to come inside for a tea or coffee?" Klaus asks politely, even as she shakes her head to decline.

"I would love to, but I'm training with Enzo today at the gymnasium. We're going to do some more bar work today, maybe vault if my knee is good enough."

Klaus reaches for the door handle.

"I won't keep you then love. I wouldn't want to get on Enzo's bad side."

She hides her smile at how Klaus will react when he finds out that the person whose bad side he's not willing to be on could very well be meeting him quite soon in a very different capacity to what Klaus is used to.

"I'll be sure to tell him you said that." She says with a soft laugh. "Go, get some rest before you fall over."

Before he slides out of the SUV he turns suddenly, gripping her by the shoulder and kissing her once on the cheek, hand lingering at the juncture of her neck and shoulder.

"Have dinner with me?" Klaus asks suddenly, eyes meeting hers as he smiles.

"Is tomorrow okay?" She replies, a little taken aback by his sudden invitation, colour rising to her cheek as her pulse thrums beneath her skin. He sweeps his thumb over her cheekbone, eyes ducking down briefly to her lips.

It's another moment, one that comes and passes just as quickly. It's too quick for her to get back, and their spell is broken in the next moment.

"How about Friday?" Klaus asks with a self satisfied smile, and she finds herself nodding in agreement before she can even stop to think about it. "Is seven okay? I can come and pick you up."

"Deal."

* * *

The days pass in a sort of blur, and she throws herself back into her routine with a new sense of purpose now that she had an idea of where things stood with Klaus.

She could feel her body begin to strengthen again, her training giving her exactly the sort of progress she needed.

Enzo upped her training at the gymnasium from three to four times a week, and she felt strong enough to begin vaulting, albeit at a far slower pace than what she was used to.

Most of the time it was just walking through the movements, her body remembering the exact sequence of twists and turns needed to perform her signature vault that she used at almost all of her competitions.

She and Rebekah do the final fitting of her dress for the impending gala, and she has to admit that Rebekah's taste is absolutely exquisite, the hand beaded dress definitely runway worthy. When she says as much to Rebekah, the other girl nods, mouth full of pins.

"I'm doing a formal line for next season." Rebekah finally replies when all of the pins have been discarded. "And the whole thing is centred around the dress that you're wearing right now."

"I'm going on a date with your brother." She tells Rebekah somewhat abruptly.

Rebekah just raises an eyebrow, jabbing another pin into the seam at her shoulder, marking something down on her tablet.

"Really? What took you so long?"

She doesn't see Bonnie until Friday.

It wasn't entirely unusual, shift work at the hospital meant that Bonnie was coming and going at all hours of the day and night.

"Oh hello there stranger. I was worried your training had finally killed you." Bonnie calls from the lounge room as she pulls the door shut behind her, kicking off her sneakers and dumping her sports bag by the door.

It only takes three steps for her to launch herself onto the couch, pulling Bonnie into a quick hug before settling in beside her best friend.

"God I feel like I haven't seen you for a year!" She exclaims as Bonnie turns down the volume of the tv a few clicks. She's still wearing her scrubs, hair pulled back into a bun.

"What's been happening with you? Training going well?" Bonnie asks with a nudge.

"So well Bon. It finally feels like I'm starting to get back on track with things. Enzo has been great as well."

"And things with Klaus?" Bonnie asks with wide eyed innocence. She refrains from rolling her eyes and instead answers one of her oldest friends truthfully.

"Actually I'm having dinner with him tonight." She admits, biting on her lip as the words sink in. Her eyes glance at the clock near the kitchen, noting that she's not going to have a whole lot of time to get ready.

"What? Like a date?" Bonnie asks excitedly.

"I don't actually know." Caroline replies with a frown. "We didn't really talk about that. But he asked me to dinner and I said yes."

"Where are you going? What are you going to wear?"

"I don't know, and I have absolutely no idea. He really hasn't given me a whole lot to go off."

Bonnie tugs on her arm, pulling her to her feet and towards her bedroom.

"Come on then. Shower and I'll help you get ready."

Fifteen minutes when she emerges from the bathroom, towel wrapped around her body, Bonnie has what seems like half of her wardrobe strewn across the bed.

"Where on earth did you get all of these clothes from?" Bonnie asks with a smile as she holds up a royal blue dress to her body. "Surely you didn't fit all of those in your suitcase."

"Rebekah and Katherine took me shopping." She answers absentmindedly, crossing to her bureau and searching for a bra and a pair of panties. Her fingers close around white lace, and Bonnie turns around while she shimmies into the matching set.

"Blue?" Bonnie asks, holding out the fit and flare dress for her to consider. She nods once, taking the dress from Bonnie and pulling it over her head. It settles in nicely around her waist, skirt hitting just above the knee and the neckline dipping in a low v to show off a hint of cleavage.

She lets Bonnie steer her towards a chair, and it's just like old times when Bonnie came to visit in Mystic Falls and they used to help each other get ready, first for outings to the Grill when they were younger, and then to places that served something a little stronger than ginger ale when they were older.

Over time, they became well acquainted with each other's preferences, and as such Bonnie didn't even have to ask her what sort of makeup she wanted, the other girl just knew.

She watches as Bonnie transforms her in the mirror, a smokey eye, a flick of eyeliner, a burgundy coloured lip.

"There." Bonnie says, putting down the curling tong in her hand, adjusting one of the errant waves in her hair. "I think that will do nicely."

A knock echoes through the apartment, and it's with wide eyes that she turns to Bonnie, butterflies more than evident in her stomach.

"Come on then. Shoes? Purse?" Bonnie directs her as she pulls on some low heeled ankle boots, grabbing her phone and clutch as Bonnie holds out a black coat for her.

The knock sounds again, and Bonnie gives her a gentle push towards the door before melting away towards the kitchen.

She pulls the door open, Klaus turning from where he's got one hand shoved into the pocket of his jeans. His gaze tracks over her from head to toe, a sharp intake of breath as he steps forward to take her hand.

"You look beautiful." He tells her honestly, pulling a bunch of flowers from behind his back with a flourish.

She can't help but laugh as she takes the proffered bouquet, inhaling the delicate scent of the roses.

"This seems to be a thing with us." She points out.

Bonnie materialises at her shoulder then, taking the bouquet from her.

"I'll take that. Don't want you two to be late for dinner."

"Thanks Bon." She replies with a smile to her friend, Klaus holding his arm for her to take.

When the door closes between them and Bonnie, she turns to Klaus, squeezing his arm as they head for the elevators.

"So where are we headed anyway? You've been rather tight lipped about this evening."

Klaus ducks his head towards her as they step into one of the vacant lifts.

"Well, I know that you scarcely want any more paparazzi attention than I do, especially on tonight of all nights. So I thought perhaps I could cook for you, and we could spend some time together, without my brother or sister prying."

She lets him pull the car door open for her, a gentle brushing of lips to her temple.

"Actually that sounds perfect."

* * *

"Okay, that was amazing. I think I'll be good for at least the next three days." She laughs, leaning back in her chair as she puts down her knife and fork.

"I'm glad you're satisfied sweetheart. Although it's a shame that you didn't save any room for dessert. I made red velvet cake."

"You didn't." She replies accusingly.

"Guilty as charged. All good love, we'll save it for later. Leave it." He holds out a hand for her, stopping her from clearing the table like she normally would whenever she eats with Kol and Bonnie.

She follows him into his lounge room as he scoops up the bottle of wine and their glasses, and she doesn't hesitate to settle down into the comfy lounge.

She'd already received a tour of the house before, and she could scarcely believe that Klaus owned all of this, and the rolling green land out the back of the property. The house was beautiful, built in the style of the 1800's but furnished in a modern way that suited him down to a T.

She'd fallen in love with the floor to ceiling windows, the way the light from the setting sun filtered across the wooden floorboards. There was an honest to god fireplace in the lounge room, marble and panelled wood creating an interesting contrast.

The conversation is easy, despite the subtle awkwardness of their first date hanging over them. Klaus catches her up on everything that had been happening with him since she'd seen him last, and she did the same.

She'd barely noticed that she'd shifted closer to him on the lounge, until she felt his hand on her knee, fingers squeezing gently. When her eyes flick up towards him he gives her a secret smile, and she has to take a sip of her wine to mask her blush.

It's with an unsteady hand that she places the wine down on the table next to them, joining Klaus' already discarded glass.

She sucks in a deep breath, turning back to Klaus, hand curling into his shirt. Klaus sits back, content to see what she'll do next as she crawls towards him, swinging one leg over his hips and settling into his lap.

Almost immediately his hands move to span her waist, the heat from his palms evident even through the material of her dress.

"Hello." She finally voices with a soft laugh as Klaus' gaze darkens.

"Hello." He finally replies, the slightest of smiles tugging at his lips.

She's not quite sure what to do with her hands, settles them on his shoulders as she shifts slightly in his lap.

"I've sort of wanted to kiss you all night now." She tells him softly, watches as his eyebrows shoot up in surprise, as if he hadn't expected her to say that of all things.

"You should." He whispers, even as her lips are meeting his, _finally,_ finally.

It's like the previous months of them being friends have been building up to this very moment, as Klaus grips her tightly by the waist and proceeds to devour her.

His touch is like fire, such a strange contrast to his soft and gentle kisses as they tangle together, the space between them becoming less and less.

It wasn't weird. It was something that she'd thought of, briefly, perhaps that they'd built up too good a friendship that it wouldn't translate into something more, that maybe the attraction that she felt to him was just in her imagination.

But this, oh this, was the furthest thing from friendship. Every nerve ending in her body felt electrified, her hands tangling in his shirt once more to tug him closer, Klaus nipping at the side of her neck, breath hot against her skin.

It's Klaus that pulls away, forehead resting against her temple.

"Well. That was…" She begins, lacing her fingers with his.

"Yes." Klaus agrees with a soft laugh. "I'm glad you did."

"So am I." She pauses, wondering how she's going to extract herself from his embrace, if she even wants to.

Klaus seems to guess the train of her thoughts, lifting her gently from his lap, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

"How about we crack into the red velvet?" Klaus asks with a cheeky grin.

In the end, Klaus lights a fire, and they settle onto the rug in front of the mantelpiece, a slice of red velvet cake between them. They share the rest of the bottle of wine, trading stories and kisses as the fire crackles merrily before them.

Her phone buzzes with a message from Bonnie, the text scrolling across the screen as she thumbs into the message app.

 _Are you coming home tonight?_

She hesitates for a moment, too drunk on the wine to think clearly and rationally. Klaus hooks his chin against her shoulder for a moment, waiting for her to tell him what was the matter rather than glancing at the message himself.

"You've probably drunk a little too much to drive, haven't you?" She asks Klaus softly, who looks mortified that he'd forgotten that he was her means of transport tonight.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart, I should have remembered." He sounds absolutely sincere, and she doesn't doubt for a moment that it was just an oversight on his behalf, too caught up in the moment to realise. "I can call you a cab right now, if you'd like?"

"You don't mind me staying here for the night?" She asks carefully, thumb hovering over her keypad as she taps in a reply to Bonnie.

"Of course not, I have plenty of spare beds. You can have the pick of the lot." Klaus' thumb lingers on her bottom lip before he replaces it with his own, other hand curling into her hair, tugging oh so gently through her curls.

She has time to hit the send button before Klaus pulls her back into the circle of his arms, and she is lost.

She doesn't have sex with him. Although tonight had been a massive step forward for them, she's not quite ready to go there with him, and she has a feeling that he's not quite ready either. And that's perfectly okay.

Instead they lay by the dying embers of the fire, her cheek against his chest as she listens to the thrum of his heartbeat beneath his shirt, feels the gentle rise and fall of his chest.

And when she wakes in his arms the next morning, sunlight filtering through the floor to ceiling windows, he's looking at her with a gentle smile on his face.

It's perfect.

* * *

 **AN: And here's Chapter 9. I really wanted to get Klaus and Caroline to a stage where they were comfortable with each other before taking that next step to their relationship. This was essentially going to be a friends to something more, and I wanted this story to be a nice and fluffy one without any manufactured drama.**

 **The last two paragraphs of this story was inspired by the Taylor Swift song 'Out of The Woods.'**

 **Of course there'll be roadblocks along the way, and Klaus and Caroline's love for each other will be tested.**

 **Thank you as always for all of your lovely reviews! They really do mean the world to me!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, The Originals or Steroline wouldn't have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

"I think I've decided on a date for the wedding." Bonnie announces one night over dinner, Kol's eyes lighting up in excitement at this.

She swallows around her mouthful of food as she blinks at her oldest friend. Kol and Bonnie had been engaged to closer for a year now, and together for about three or four beyond that, the entire way throughout university, actually.

According to Kol, they'd been trying to decide on a date for months now, as it was largely dependent on Bonnie's schedule at the hospital and when she had an uninterrupted stretch of dates available, or when she could qualify for some annual leave.

"That's great Bon." She tells her best friend excitedly. "When are you thinking?"

Bonnie puts her knife and fork down on her plate, placing them together in the universal signal that she was done eating.

"I know it's quite soon, but I was thinking next April. I'll be able to take some leave for the wedding and the honeymoon."

She mentally counts backwards the date in her mind, calculating how much time between now and then…

"That's five months babe. Are you sure that's going to be enough time to pull everything together?" Kol asks in concern, a frown creasing his brow. "Not that I'm absolutely thrilled, but I don't want you to be stressed over this anymore than you have to.

"I've been speaking to your mother actually." Bonnie tells Kol quietly. She's offered up the gardens at Wiltshire for the ceremony and reception. Are you okay with getting married there?"

Kol reaches for Bonnie's hand, squeezing it gently.

"Of course. The gardens are stunning. Mother will be thrilled that someone is making use of the space."

 **"** She said that she'd help with most of the planning as well. You don't mind do you Caroline?" Bonnie asks, eyes landing on her in that moment, her hand still clasped with Kol's.

"No of course not. I'm happy to help if you ever need me though. You know that. And I expect to come with you when you go dress shopping. I won't tell Rebekah if you don't."

Bonnie smiles at her gratefully, nodding in agreement.

"Deal. So how did your date with Klaus go? As I recall correctly, you didn't come home?" Bonnie arches a single eyebrow as she tries and fails to stop herself from blushing.

"It was good." She replies, tapping her fingers against the wooden tabletop.

Kol perhaps sensing her uneasiness with discussing Klaus in front of him, rises from the table and begins clearing the dishes, moving towards the kitchen and away from them.

She leans forward, dropping her voice to just above a whisper.

"It was really good. I think we're together now, officially. We didn't really have a chance to discuss it?" She phrases it like a question as Bonnie smirks, leaning over to pour her some more wine.

"Drink up Caroline. I have a feeling we're going to need more wine for this."

* * *

"Hold still." Rebekah instructs her bossily as she crouches at the skirt of the handmade gown, sewing a few more seed pearls into place, securing them tightly.

She follows the other girls instructions to the letter, fearing the sharp jab of a needle should she not. Even she had to admit that Rebekah had outdone herself on this gown, it fit her like a dream and it was absolute perfection.

She actually felt like a princess, in the hand beaded creation that Rebekah had no doubt been slaving over for the past couple of weeks. She had no idea how much a gown like this would usually retail for, and to be honest she was a little afraid to ask.

Rebekah hadn't volunteered the information, and she had followed the other girls lead.

"Okay, done." Rebekah pronounces, straightening and stepping back with a relieved sigh. She watches as Rebekah tilts her head to the side, gaze taking her in from head to toe.

"You look beautiful." Rebekah finally pronounces with a self satisfied smile. "Klaus is going to love it."

"I love it." She tells Rebekah honestly, finally turning to get a glimpse of herself in the full length mirror, stepping off the small podium that Rebekah had positioned herself on before. "Thank you."

The dress itself was a pale ice blue, a high sheer neckline with delicate beading providing a modicum of modesty, something Rebekah had assured her would be suitable for tonight's event.

The skirt was full and floaty, weighed down only by the dozens and dozens of beads and crystals that were layered across the skirt in beautiful patterns, evidence of Rebekah's artistry when it came to dressmaking.

She supposed that's why Rebekah's label was a favourite of the Royal's and British high society alike. She'd also began to see some success in the US, when a young up and coming starlet had recently worn one of her ready to wear gowns to an exclusive industry awards show.

Hair and makeup people that Rebekah knew and trusted had come and gone hours ago, and she has to say that although she doesn't wear a lot of makeup outside of competitions, she's pleased with the overall result, with the smokey eye and the neutral lip.

"You're welcome." Rebekah replies, coming to stand next to her in the mirror. Rebekah is wearing another dress of her own, a beautiful forest green that she'd also whipped up in the last few weeks. The silhouette was modern and edgy, and it clung to her curves and the outline of her body wonderfully.

"Does Klaus know that you're bringing Enzo?" She asks curiously, nudging the other girl somewhat playfully.

Rebekah's lips curl up into a wicked smile.

"Oh no. I thought we could surprise him. Are you ready to go? Klaus and Enzo both said they'd meet us here. We can go separately."

The click of her heels against the wooden floor of Rebekah's atelier gives off a strange sort of echo before they're stepping out into the afternoon air.

Klaus and Enzo are standing side by side, both looking a million bucks in sharply tailored tuxedos, bow ties present around both of their necks.

She sees Klaus' sharp intake of breath when he sees her, and can't help but feel flattered as she descends the short set of stairs, taking his proffered hand as he bends down to press a gentle kiss to her cheek.

"You look beautiful." He remarks sincerely, squeezing both of her hands between his for a moment before dropping them. "Are you ready to go?" He asks, looking over her shoulder in surprise.

She turns, just in time to see Enzo greet Rebekah with a kiss. She hides her laughter at the stunned look on Klaus' face, tugging him towards the Maserati as he regains his composure and moves in long strides to open the door for her, holding her hand as she settles into the low vehicle.

It's only when Klaus has settled into the drivers seat and has buckled up his seatbelt that he turns to her.

"How long has Rebekah been dating Enzo?" He asks her, surprise still evident in his tone.

"Oh no, this is a conversation that you need to have with your sister. But she really likes him, for what it's worth. So do I. So go easy on him?" She replies as Klaus weaves through the traffic.

"I'll talk to Bekah later." Klaus promises, pressing his lips together in a thin line. "I don't like surprises, but as long as she's happy."

And that was that. They fall into easy conversation as they drive, even though the question of what they are exactly is hanging tantalisingly out of reach. She supposed that they were making things official enough if he was willing to take her out somewhere so public.

Sooner rather than later, they're approaching the venue, and Klaus twists in his seat to face her as the car slows to a crawl.

"There are going to be press photographers here tonight. Are you okay with that?" Klaus asks carefully, the unspoken question possibly the one that he's most seeking the answer to.

She squeezes his hand once from where it's resting on the gearstick.

"Let's do this, shall we?"

Klaus' answering smile is like the sun.

In all honesty, it was a lot easier than she thought it would be. The paparazzi were slightly less invasive than what she'd been subjected to previously, when she didn't even know that they were there.

She does her best to smile and make it seem genuine, even if she is shaking with nerves inside. She's used to being on a public stage thanks to her sport, but this was on another level entirely, and was surprised with just how confident Klaus was with everything.

Then again, he was the captain, and he had been doing this for quite some time now, probably just as long as she had been.

She sends a silent thankyou to Rebekah for making her dress so comfortable to stand and move around in, because the fabric and the beading gives her absolutely no trouble as they move along the red carpet and up the steps to the venue, Klaus' hand resting comfortably on her lower back as he lifts a hand in greeting to one of his team mates.

Klaus takes her hand once they're inside, pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

"Okay sweetheart?" He asks quietly, bending his head towards hers so their conversation goes unheard. It's a sweet gesture, surprisingly intimate despite the fact they're surrounded by people.

She lets out a breath, whole body relaxing now that they're away from the bright flashes of the cameras.

The ballroom of the hotel is absolutely stunning, all marble and beautiful flooring, the decorations elegant and tasteful. Well dressed waiters circulate the room, trays of champagne and hors d' oeuvre's seemingly floating through the crowd.

Rebekah spots them from across the room, and it's with a somewhat determined look that she grabs Enzo's hand and drags him after her. Enzo looks faintly amused at the apparent forwardness of Rebekah, but lets himself be towed along until both of them are standing tall in front of Klaus.

She can't help but wink in reassurance towards Enzo, who gives her a quick smile before turning a careful gaze towards Klaus. Klaus has mostly ignored him, and is currently engaging in the stare off to end all stare offs with his younger sister.

"Are you happy?" Klaus asks suddenly, not turning his gaze away from Rebekah as he grabs two flutes of champagne off the tray of a passing waiter.

Caroline can't help but jump when Klaus presses one into her hand, fingers brushing against her wrist where fabric meets her skin.

"I am." Rebekah replies with a somewhat defiant tilt of her chin, her slender figure drawing the attention of many in the room tonight.

Klaus finally relaxes, smiling at his sister.

"Then I'm happy. It's all I ever wanted for you Bekah." Klaus dips his voice low, leaning in to brush a gentle kiss to Rebekah's temple. "I'd get you to introduce me but Enzo and I are well acquainted already."

Rebekah rolls her eyes at Klaus' theatrics but can't stop the smile from spreading across her face.

"I'm stealing your girl then Nik. I'm sure you're eager to interrogate Enzo. May as well do it now. Like ripping off a bandaid." She tells Enzo, who nods and tries to hide his laughter.

Klaus downs his champagne, and gestures for Enzo to follow him to the bar.

"Shall we then?"

She and Rebekah watch as the two men melt away into the crowd.

* * *

"Do you really think that Klaus is going to try and terrify Enzo?" She asks Rebekah once they're safely ensconced in the bathroom.

Rebekah just pouts at the mirror, reapplying a coat of lipstick and inspecting her appearance from every angle.

"He can try, but I like to think that Enzo is made of sterner stuff than that." Rebekah replies with a fond smile on her face.

"Your really like him, huh?" She asks of the other blonde, leaning up against the vanity and sipping at her champagne. "I mean, I don't blame you. Not my type, but he seems sweet. A gentleman."

Rebekah lifts a shoulder, tugging at her dress as she stows her lipstick away in her clutch.

"Yes, well I've very quickly discovered that they are very hard to come by, especially in London. I'm hoping that this will be a nice change from other guys that I've dated. Of course, it doesn't exactly hurt that he spends most of his time with you. If he gets the Caroline Forbes seal of approval, then that's enough for me." Rebekah tells her softly, and she can't help but smile to herself, at the fact that her good opinion means that much to Rebekah.

"Alright, enough sappiness for one evening. Let's go and find Katherine and get sloshed on expensive champagne!" Rebekah declares.

They exit the bathroom just as they're ushered towards their table, where Klaus and Enzo have already seated themselves, chattering away like the best of friends. She doesn't miss the pleased expression on Rebekah's face as Katherine rises, pressing a careful kiss to her cheek.

Katherine as always, looks absolutely amazing in a dress of jet black, the sheen of the fabric outlining every curve of her body. She's accompanied by a somewhat distinguished looking man. He's all dark features, classically handsome, and she can't help but suppress a shiver when that dark gaze is turned on her.

"Caroline, this is my fiancé Elijah Mikaelson. Bar Henrik the only other Mikaelson sibling that you haven't yet had the pleasure of meeting. Lijah, this is Caroline Forbes, Nik's girlfriend."

"A pleasure Ms Forbes." Elijah tilts his head towards her politely, but makes no further move to greet her. Taking her cues from him, she returns his nod with one of her own.

"The pleasure is mine Elijah. I've heard a lot about you, both from Kat and from Klaus. All of it good." She hastens to add, not sure why she's seeking to reassure him, when he looks so confident and self assured.

"I could say the same Caroline." Elijah surprises her with the use of her first name. "All of my siblings seem to speak very highly of you. Although it is probably long delayed of me to say so, please accept my well wishes for your Olympics campaign. I'm glad that you seemed to have made a somewhat speedy recovery all things considered."

"I can't take all the credit." She steps forward as Elijah pulls out a chair for her next to him, pleasantly surprised when he pushes it in for her. Chivalry certainly wasn't dead when it came to the Mikaelson men. "I do have a very good team surrounding me."

"So I've heard." Elijah replies with a faint smile, that dark gaze turning towards Enzo. "You vouch for Augustine?" He adds, waiting for her answer patiently.

"Of course. Both in a professional capacity and in a personal one." She replies firmly, recognising that Elijah was well and truly fishing for information when it came to Rebekah's new man.

"I'm glad to hear it. Tell me more about your recovery. A torn ACL is a rather hard injury to bounce back from, especially when it involves the use of explosive movement." Elijah drapes a napkin elegantly over his lap as the waiter sets a salad in front of him.

"It's been a long road. Still a long way to go, before I'm in fighting form to be able to compete. But I have a certain motivation to do well as it were." She tells Elijah honestly, really not willing to go into the whole Hayley Marshall drama back home. She made a mental note to get Elena to give her an update on the sly, Alaric would kill her if he knew that she was bothering herself over the upstart.

"I see. Has Niklaus told you anything about his own injury?" Elijah asks her, cutting into his meal with precise movements, long fingers wrapped around his utensils.

"I've seen the scar. I assume it was pretty bad, but he's been fairly tightlipped about it all. I'm guessing it was a pretty dark period for him, if my own feelings and emotions are anything to go by during those few weeks where I was unsure of my future."

"He was a shade of the person he is now." Elijah replies bluntly. "You are correct in assuming that it was a dark period for him also. I think though, that being around you has helped him immensely."

She can't help but turn her gaze towards Klaus, who is still chattering animatedly away with Enzo, seemingly unaware of his surroundings.

"His injury was recent?" She asks incredulously, because she never would have guessed based off Klaus' demeanour.

Elijah looks surprised at her question.

"It happened 18 months ago, Caroline." Elijah tells her quietly as she finally picks up her own cutlery and begins to attack her own salad. "He was out for half a season. Still blames himself for the fact that his team lost the final."

She sits and processes this information for a moment. Elijah just smiles at her gently.

"As I said, since your presence in his life we've seen a great change in Niklaus."

Klaus bends down to press a kiss to her cheek about an hour later, the scent of his cologne tickling at her senses. He smells divine, and she can't help but turn and press her face into his neck, eliciting a chuckle from him.

"I feel like I've been neglecting you this evening. Dance with me?" He asks softly as she balls up her linen napkin and places it next to her plate.

"Of course." She agrees readily, pushing her seat back and standing. The jazz band in the corner had struck up a tune some time ago, and she recognises the song somewhat absentmindedly as Klaus leads her onto the floor with other couples and pulls her into his arms.

She goes willingly, pressing her cheek against him, her other hand resting on the back of his neck.

"I thought I'd also see if you needed rescuing." Klaus tells her as he steers them easily around the dance floor towards a less crowded spot. "I know you've not yet met Elijah. I understand that he can e a little… intense."

"He's lovely." She reassures Klaus, glancing over at the older brother in question. "I didn't see it right away, but it's easy to see why he and Kat are so well suited. He obviously cares for you a great deal." She adds with a quirk of her eyebrows as Klaus smiles.

"We've always been close." He replies. "And what, pray tell, were you talking about so earnestly before? As thrilled as I am that the two of you are getting along so well, it didn't escape my notice."

The band switches to a slower track, notes blending in seamlessly as the transition between songs occurs. Klaus' hand slips down her waist, resting at the bottom of her spine.

"He told me a bit more about your injury." She remarks to him honestly. "I didn't realise that it had happened so recently."

A shadow passes across Klaus' face, perhaps in remembrance of the struggle and the hardships that came with rehabilitation.

"I thought that was it for me." He begins quite suddenly. "The prognosis wasn't fantastic from the outset, and everyone was treating me like kid gloves. Except for Enzo."

She remains silent, content to let him talk, sensing that he needs to get this all out.

"He came to visit me in hospital, demanded to the EPL that I be referred on to him. He was quite a cocky little bastard actually, said that he was the only person that could give them a chance in hell of having me on the mend and playing in time for a new season."

She can't help but let out a chuckle, trying to imagine Enzo facing down a room full of suits, daring them to give him access to one of their top players.

"They took a chance on Enzo. They'd never heard of him. He'd been doing great stuff in America, but had only recently returned to England. True to his word, he pushed me more than anyone else on my team. I'm in his debt for getting me back to my previous form."

"Do you find yourself more cautious now? Apparently it was a slide tackle that went wrong."

"Much more." Klaus allows, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, brushing his knuckles against her cheek almost reverentially.

She can't help but lean into his touch, squeezing her eyes shut as he tilts her chin up with gentle fingers.

"And what else did Elijah say?" Klaus asks, barely a hairs breadth of space between them. Her heart is stuttering in her chest and even now she's amazed at the effect that he can have on her.

"He said that you'd changed quite a bit in the past few months. Since I've been in your life." She replies quietly.

Klaus takes a step back and smiles at her, hands still held in his.

"I have. You've changed everything for me Caroline Forbes."

* * *

"I seriously thought that Klaus was going to figure out a way to murder me." Enzo tells her as he holds open the gymnasium door for her the next morning. They proceed into the foyer, Enzo slinging his sports bag over his shoulder.

She smiles to herself at Enzo's admission, signing in on the piece of paper with a messy scrawl before tossing the pen on the counter top.

"Oh come on, the guy can be seriously intimidating when he wants to be. That was a serious thousand yard stare he had going on. Thought I was going to be torn apart limb from limb. Don't even get me started on Elijah."

She turns to glance at him in surprise as Enzo lets out a nervous laugh.

"What about Elijah? I thought he was lovely."

"Klaus might be a little more obvious in his threats, but that doesn't make Elijah any less effective at delivering them subtly. They're both very protective of Beks it would seem."

"She's their baby sister. Of course they're going to be super protective. From what I hear, Bekah hasn't really made some great choices when it comes to the men in their life. But for what it's worth I don't think you have too much to worry about with Klaus and Elijah. Break her heart though…"

She trails off warningly as Enzo lets out a bark of laughter.

"Great, now I have to worry about you as well." He grumbles to himself as she gives him a beatific smile.

"Come on mr grumpy pants. I have a bar routine that I want to work on today. Then I thought we could maybe do some basic floor exercises, if you feel so inclined."

Enzo waves an arm for her to lead the way, and she pushes open the heavy gymnasium doors, stopping short at the sight of the brunette woman sitting patiently on the stairs waiting.

Waiting for her.

"Caroline Forbes." The woman drawls, unfolding her tall form from the steps and coming down to the gymnasium floor. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes? Alaric will be so pleased to know that you've been so dedicated to your training. What time is it, almost 11am?"

She squeezes her eyes shut momentarily, willing the woman standing across the way to be nothing but a hallucination, a side effect perhaps of her late night and late start this morning.

Isobel Fleming was Alaric's ex wife. She was also a stone cold bitch, but one of the best coaches currently on the Team USA roster. Isobel herself had been an ex gymnast for Team USA, competing in the Olympics in 1992 and 1996 before retiring and becoming a coach.

She and Isobel had always clashed personality wise, and she didn't necessarily agree with the methods that Isobel employed to get results from her gymnasts. It had ended in tears from her more times than she could count, when she was first vying for a spot on the team.

"I had a late night last night. I've been training hard all week, a late start isn't going to kill me." She replies stiffly, stalking across the sprung floors. Enzo trailing behind her, unsure as to how to handle the situation, if he should even intervene.

"Yes, did you have fun at your little function last night?" Isobel drawls, foot tapping against the wooden floor. "I did hear whispers that you'd netted yourself a boyfriend, but I didn't think you'd find one quite so high profile. I see you haven't learnt from your mistakes with Tyler."

"Don't mention his name." She hisses at Isobel, wrenching her gym bag from her shoulder and tossing it onto the nearest seat. "What the hell are you even doing here?"

"Trust me Forbes, the thought of spending the next couple of months stuck in this god forsaken country chills me to the bones. But here I am all the same. Someone's got to get you up to scratch in time for the World Championships."

"And Alaric just happened to decide that the perfect person for the job was you? He knows that you and I don't get along. Could he have not sent Jenna?"

"Jenna's good, but not good enough to whip you into shape in the short time frame that we have. You know that as well as I do." Isobel stares her down for a long moment. "You've changed. You wouldn't have been able to look me in the eye a year ago."

"Yeah, well, I guess I've learnt that a stone cold bitch is nothing but that. Should have left that bullshit behind in high school Isobel."

Enzo moves silently next to her, a show of solidarity as he gazes at Isobel, expression perfectly calm, perfectly blank. She's glad that he's here with her.

"Who the hell are you?" Isobel asks amusedly, red painted lips curling up into a smile.

"Enzo Augustine. I'm her physiotherapist. I'll be observing her training sessions, making sure she doesn't push herself too hard."

"That won't be necessary." Isobel waves him away like she would an annoying fly.

To his credit, Enzo stands his ground, planting himself down in the seat next to her gym bag.

"Actually yes it will." He replies lightly. "If you have a problem with that, you can take it up with Alaric. My instructions were clear and I intend on following them to the letter.

Isobel raises an eyebrow but doesn't bother to argue further with Enzo, instead turning to her.

"Well then. Shall we get started?"

* * *

 **AN:**

 **Happy holidays guys! I wanted to get one more chapter of this bad boy out before I went away for Christmas with the family. I'll do my best to get something on How It All Ends as well, but can't really make any promises at this point.**

 **I have no idea how long this sudden flash of inspiration is going to last for, but I'll ride it out as best I can.**

 **Hope you all enjoyed- how many of you thought it was Tatia waiting for Caroline in the gym? ;)**

 **Are any of you guys Shadowhunters fans? I've been writing a one shot for the Malec pairing and am toying with the idea of turning it into a full length fic. As much as I dislike Cassandra Clare, I do like where they've gone with the show.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Fever Pitch Chapter Chapter 11**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, The Originals and Steroline wouldn't have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

"Again." Isobel drawls, leaning back on her seat in the stands.

She straightens after her tumbling line on the sprung floor, throwing a glare in the direction of her coach as she works out a few sore spots in her muscles.

She'd been at it for hours now with Isobel, with no end to her session in sight. They'd started on floor once Enzo had deemed her knee well enough to handle the added force that sticking her landings would add, and Isobel had been driving her relentlessly ever since.

The same tumbling lines, in fact, the one that had originally torn her ACL. She knew that Enzo was concerned about that, worried about the overall effect that it would have on her, but in actual fact she'd been mentally building up to this for awhile now.

She couldn't avoid tumbling and certain high scoring moves forever unfortunately, as much as she did want to.

Enzo had been sitting in on her training sessions still, for which she was eternally grateful. He was a voice of reason, and at times a foil for Isobel when he felt that the other woman was pushing her too hard.

She bends her knees slightly, hands on her thighs as she catches her breath.

"We've done this same line for the last hour. Isn't it time to switch it up?" She shoots back at Isobel, who simply stares at her with an impassive expression.

"And you've kept fucking the same line up every single time you tumble it. We'll move on when you finally get it down." Isobel finally replies. "If you're going to use it in competition your technique needs to be perfect, as you well know."

She surpresses the urge to growl in frustration at Isobel, Enzo throwing her a concerned look as he moves towards her with a water bottle.

"Just say the word and I'll stop this right now." Enzo murmurs to her as she uncaps the bottle and takes a pull before handing it back to him.

"I'm fine." She replies. "Promise."

Enzo looks slightly incredulous but says nothing, instead tucking the bottle under his arm and returning to his spot at the side of the sprung floor, outside the white boundary lines.

She takes her place at the corner of the floor, taking a breath in to centre herself before launching into a sprint, and then the first part of her tumbling line.

Generally speaking, the higher the degree of difficulty a move, or a set of moves were, the more points you could accrue throughout your routine. Of course, if you screwed it up then you also stood a chance of losing a large amount of points.

It was always a gamble, and always an approach that she took when it came time for a competition. And it had always served her well, the cabinet full of medals she had at home simply proving it.

She's midway through her last twist when she knows that she's over rotated her hips. She lands clumsily, stumbling a little as she comes out of her twist.

"Come on Caroline." She hisses to herself, steeling herself from further criticism from Isobel.

She doesn't disappoint.

"What is this Forbes, amateur hour? Is your heart even in this? Because I can fly back to America right now and tell them to forget about you. Hayley Marshall was showing great promise when I left the States. I'm sure she'd be proficient enough to step up to a place in the team by the time trials roll around."

"Shut up." She mumbles under her breath, not quite loud enough or Isobel to hear.

Her coach narrows her eyes, getting to her feet and striding across the mats to her.

"Do you have something to say Forbes?" Isobel's voice has dropped low, her tone taking on a dangerous quality.

She stares Isobel down for a long moment, her coach raising an eyebrow expectantly. She's prepared to unleash a verbal bitchslap from hell, but backs off at the last moment.

"I'm fine. Shall we run through again?" She asks sweetly, Isobel's eyes narrowing in suspicion as she turns towards the mats.

A firm nod from her coach is all that she needs before she's throwing herself into the line again. And she knows deep in her bones that she's nailed it as she finishes the last twist, stepping out and allowing herself a small smile.

"Better." Isobel allows, returning to her previous seat. "Let's move on to beam."

"Actually I have somewhere that I need to be." She voices loudly towards Isobel's back, determined to stand her ground on this one.

She hadn't seen Klaus for close to a week, text messages between them sparse as he prepared himself and his team for the Grand Final game that was coincidentally taking place tomorrow evening.

She'd promised him dinner some time ago, and coincidentally this was the night that Klaus had chosen to see her. She did have some qualms about being around him before the Grand Final, didn't want to add anymore to the pressure that he must already be feeling, but he'd assuaged her concerns with a cheeky grin and a kiss that had her toes curling in pleasure.

This wasn't his first rodeo so to speak, his team had made it to the Finals plenty of times before she'd arrived on the scene. She figured he'd have his pre Final ritual pretty much down pat by now.

"Do you now?" Isobel replies, cocking her head to the side and gazing at her with a smirk. "Boyfriend?"

She sinks to the mats, begins her regime of cool down stretches, knowing that she's going to be sore and stiff in the morning regardless. This was her ritual.

"Yeah. I have a date. As fun as it's been." She pauses a little, letting the sarcasm get through to Isobel loud and clear. "I do have a personal life."

"Imagine that." Isobel says faintly with a smile. "Fine then Forbes. Tomorrow, seven o'clock. Don't be late this time."

With that, Isobel turns on her heel, slinging her bag over her shoulder and stalking from the gym. Enzo sinks onto the mats next to her, rolling her water bottle between her palms.

"God she is a bitch." He pronounces, British accent somehow making it sound like music to her ears. "How does she still have a job?"

She tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear and stretches forward, pressing her chest and forehead to her legs.

"She was my coach when I was first starting out. As much as I hate to admit it, I wouldn't be where I am without her. I hated her so much, considered dropping out of the program. I know her methods aren't entirely conventional, but she gets results. And that's all that matters to Team USA." She remarks bitterly.

Enzo frowns at that.

"I hate to imagine how many talented gymnasts she's driven to quit. Surely they're considering that loss?"

She shrugs, getting to her feet and holding out a hand for her bottle. Enzo passes it over as they amble towards the bleachers.

"Considered yes. But they've never done anything about it."

Enzo nudges her playfully, a grin on his face.

"Perhaps you can supplant her when you retire. I'm sure they'd kill to have you coach on the team."

She bends down, slinging the strap of her bag over her shoulder.

"Yeah maybe." She mumbles, not game enough to tell Enzo that she honestly _had_ been thinking of retirement.

She was one of the older ones in the sport, most of the girls that were up and coming in their mid teens. Once you got to a certain age, the flips and the tumbles became just that little bit harder to do, injuries took a little longer to bounce back from.

You either reached the point where you couldn't do it anymore, or you became a liability. She didn't want to be either, wanted to bow out while she was at the top of her game.

Quitting before these Games simply wasn't an option for her. Whether she liked it or not, she had an obligation to Team USA, for the investment that they were making in her, hoping she could win them one last medal at the Games before they put her on ice and she just became a name in the annals of Karolyi Camp history.

But after, possibilities were endless. She could go to college, into coaching, whatever she wanted. It was thrilling and terrifying at the same time, and she honestly tried to push those thoughts to the back of her mind.

Enzo slings a companionable arm over her shoulder.

"Come on then darling, lets get you on the road. You do have a date after all."

* * *

She pulls into the circular drive of Klaus' house, drawing the car to a halt and killing the ignition. The house is lit up, and it looks warm and inviting despite the cold wind blowing outside.

What felt like every muscle of her body was stiff and sore, side effects of training with Isobel for the past week or so. She hoped Klaus would let her have a soak in the tub.

She shivers into her decidedly unattractive puffer jacket, hurried footsteps towards Klaus' front door as she lets herself inside.

Klaus is on her before she can even get the door properly shut, lean lines of his body pressing into her, the door slamming beneath her back as he greets her with a kiss that leaves her wide eyed and breathless. Her muscles begin to protest as Klaus' hands press into her waist, running up her sides, as she tries not to wince at the pain.

Damn it really had been too long since they'd last been together. Klaus is pressing idle kisses into the skin of her neck, stubble scratching against the sensitive skin there as she slips her fingers into his hair with a content sigh.

"Hello to you too." She remarks amusedly as Klaus finally straightens, pulling her off the door with a somewhat apologetic smile.

"Happy. To. See. You." Klaus punctuates between kisses, hands twining around her waist as he pulls her closer. "Let's not wait so long again?" He asks as she curls her fingers into the fabric of his Henley, breathing in his familiar scent.

Everything is still for a moment as they sway on the spot, and she presses a gentle kiss to his neck before stepping away with a somewhat regretful smile.

They hadn't really ever broached the topic of sex. She knew that he was probably more than willing, and she definitely was as well. But she knows that now probably isn't the best time to fall into bed with him, the night before arguably one of the biggest games of his career.

"I believe you promised me dinner?" She asks innocently, trying to smooth away some of the sexual tension that had sprung up so easily between them.

Klaus gives her a knowing smile, no doubt guessing exactly what she was thinking. He laces his fingers innocently with hers, tugging her towards the modern kitchen.

"That I did. Sorry it's not more appealing. I'll be able to splash out after tomorrow though." His smile widens at the thought as he pulls out a chair for her, uncovering the plate of food in front of her.

"I'm sure it'll be amazing. You have an annoying habit of being good at everything that you do." She remarks with a laugh as he sinks into the chair opposite hers with a wide grin.

"Everything?" He asks a little suggestively, raising an eyebrow as his foot nudges against hers. "Why I'll take that as a compliment love. I'd be happy to show you the extent to which my abilities can impress."

She splutters a little at that, taking a sip of her water to mask her blush.

Two could play at that game.

"Maybe after your game tomorrow, I'll let you show me." She drops her voice low, running her foot lightly up his calf. "If you have enough energy left that is." She adds with a shrug, watches as he swallows audibly.

Score one to Caroline.

They fall into easy conversation, swapping stories and catching each other up on what they'd each been up to. She notices his brow furrow in concern when she mentions her hard sessions with Isobel, and she makes a sympathetic noise when he tells her about how intense training had been this weak.

"Actually I was hoping that I might be able to make use of your tub tonight. Not only is my coach a monumental bitch, I feel like I'm about to drop dead from muscle soreness." She says after she's finished with her meal, after Klaus has cleared their plates.

"Of course. Come on, I'll start running a tub for you now. I've got something that can help with the soreness as well, once you're done." His lips curl into a smile, and she tries not to let her imagination wander.

As she follows him up the stairs, trying very hard not to stare at his arse outlined in his jeans, she wonders to herself how the hell Klaus hadn't been snapped up by now. He was quite the catch, crazy sporting schedule aside.

It takes her a moment to realise that Klaus has led her into his bedroom. She's surprised at what she sees. It's wide and open, and he'd obviously knocked out a wall or two to enlarge the space.

The king sized bed on a raised block commands attention, a sturdy wooden bed frame causing her mind to wander just a little…

There's also a sitting area in front of an honest to god mantelpiece, and the same floor to ceiling windows, although she suspects that they're actually doors, if the balcony beyond is anything to go by.

"I don't mean to be presumptuous, but the best tub is in my ensuite." Klaus interrupts her train of thought with an apologetic smile over her shoulder.

Her mouth drops open just a little at the luxurious bathroom. She's still surprised sometimes, at the amount of disposable income that Klaus seems to have at his fingertips. She supposes the Adidas endorsements would do nicely when it came to funding his lifestyle.

But flashy cars and amazing house aside, Klaus didn't seem to splash his wealth around for everyone to see. Perhaps it was his upbringing, or the fact that he still remained quite humble, and awed at his lot in life.

It was refreshing.

"Well you definitely weren't lying." She finally replies after a moment, once she's taken in all the white marble, the sunken bath that's easily big enough for three.

Klaus takes a seat on the edge of the bath, forearm flexing as he turns on the taps, adjusting the temperature within moments.

Soon enough he's run her a very tempting looking bubble bath, and she relishes the thought of sinking down into the water and letting the heat unlock the tension in her muscles.

"I'll leave you to it sweetheart." Klaus' lips quirk upwards into a smile. "I'm sure you'll want some solitude."

He moves to get past her, surprised when she catches his wrist in her hand.

"You can stay if you'd like. Once I'm in?" She asks hesitantly as he nods, stepping away to give her some privacy.

She strips, the sounds of her clothes hitting the floor impossibly loud in the space. It would be so easy, to turn him towards her, to let him have her way with her.

She sucks in a breath as she slips into the water, shuddering at the relief to her muscles as she leans back against the edge of the tub with a sigh.

A few strategically placed bubbles later, and Klaus is turning, coming to rest against the wall next to the tub.

"Thanks for keeping me company." She directs towards him with a quick smile. "Are you nervous about tomorrow?"

"A little." He concedes with a nod. "Pre game jitters are pretty normal. But it's not my first final. And I suppose it's kind of my job to keep everyone else calm. Wouldn't look good to have the captain freaking out now, would it?"

"I think we're all entitled to a freak out every now and then. How are you liking your chances of winning?"

"Pretty good, but we don't have it in the bag just yet. We could completely tank, someone could get injured, the conditions might not be in our favour. So many things can go wrong, but I just need to turn up and play the best game of my career. Hopefully everything else should fall into place after that. You're coming?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." She replies, swirling her hands through the water, fascinated by the slow drag for a moment. "I'll still be proud of you, no matter the outcome. What are your plans now that you'll have some time off?"

"A short break." Klaus smiles at the thought. "I'll eat a couple of steaks, spend as much time with you as I can, take a holiday, and then back at it again for Olympic selections."

She melts a little at his declaration. Time together would be tough, with her training regime increasing more and more each day. But they'd make it work, and honestly she's intrigued at the thought of maybe taking a holiday herself.

Klaus had mentioned an annual Mikaelson holiday, and had mentioned that she's invited…

"Where's the annual Mikaelson holiday this year?" She asks curiously as Klaus tilts his head back with a chuckle.

The warmth of the air in the bathroom has dampened his henley slightly, and he takes a moment to push the sleeves up to his forearms.

"I think Rebekah is a bit more clued in than I am, but last I heard it was somewhere along the coast of Italy. You're coming, aren't you?"

"If I can get time away from training, definitely." She promises, closing her eyes and luxuriating in the water. "This is heaven." She declares with a sigh.

Klaus sits with her for an hour while she soaks, before she declares that she's done. Klaus exits the bathroom, giving her space to lever out of the water, to wrap a towel around her before she's stepping back into his bedroom.

He's sitting at the end of his bed, deep in thought as he rolls a tube of _something_ between his hands.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She asks suddenly, jolting him out of his revery. He looks startled for a moment as he glances towards her, tongue darting out to wet his lips as he takes in the towel clinging to her body.

"I thought if you're amenable to the idea love, that I'd give you a massage."

Her eyebrows shoot towards her hairline at those words, and she's equal parts intrigued and turned on by the thought. A massage from a hot British guy? Count her in.

"That would be amazing actually." She struggles to keep her tone neutral as she responds, Klaus gesturing for her to move towards the bed. "Let me just put on some underwear then I'm all yours."

She rummages for the spare pair she'd brought with her in her handbag, hesitating as Klaus averts her gaze before she drops her towel. She quickly slides the panties up her legs, settling them around her hips before she's climbing onto Klaus' bed, lying facedown and resting her head on one of his pillows.

The first touch of his hands on hers makes her jump, and she lets out a nervous laugh as Klaus makes an amused noise under his breath.

"Sorry sweetheart. Just want to find out where the tension is." He replies lightly, hands ghosting over her shoulders, then back and arms, and then down her legs.

She hears rather than sees Klaus pop the cap of the gel he'd been holding, warming it up between his palms for a moment before he plants a knee on either side of her hips.

He starts at her shoulders, and she lets out a shuddering sigh as he works out a particularly stubborn knot that had been causing her discomfort.

"Oh god that feels amazing." She sighs as Klaus chuckles again, continuing his ministrations.

As Klaus continues, it soon becomes apparent that her body is having a rather _interesting_ reaction. Unbidden, goosebumps dimple her skin as his hands sweep along her arms, smoothing over sore and stiff muscles.

Beneath her, her nipples have tightened into hard peaks, sensitive against the slight scratchiness of the sheets. She can practically hear her heartbeat thundering in her chest, and she swallows audibly as Klaus moves further down her back.

She jumps as he presses a soft kiss to her shoulder, breath hot against her skin.

She feels it in her core as Klaus' fingers dip briefly beneath the waist band of her panties, hands encasing her hips for a few moments as he pauses above her with a sharp intake of breath.

Apparently she wasn't the only one affected by this. It gave her some gratification, even if she was a little flustered right about now.

"Alright?" She asks hoarsely, pressing her cheek into the pillow.

"Yeah." Klaus replies, voice rough as he edges downwards towards her hamstrings.

She tries to keep her breathing slow and even as Klaus finally finishes up with this fresh form of torture.

"Better?" He asks amusedly as she lets out a soft groan of contentment.

"You're a magician, honestly. I feel so much better already." She replies, propping herself up on her elbows and looking at him over her shoulder.

His gaze has darkened as his gaze drags from her toes to her head.

"Want to stay over?" He asks lightly, glancing away for a moment, grabbing a towel to rub the gel from his hands.

"I'd better not." She responds somewhat regretfully. "I want to make sure that you get a good sleep before your big day tomorrow. I feel like us sharing a bed may be… distracting." She allows as Klaus gives her a toothy smile.

"What makes you think that this isn't already distracting?" He asks, waving a hand towards her spread out on his bed.

She laughs a little at that, doing her best to look authoritative despite her lack of clothing.

"All the same, you need to rest. It's a big day tomorrow."

"Alright love, you've convinced me. I'll see you downstairs in a few minutes." He replies, turning on his heel and leaving her to dress.

He's waiting at the front door when she finally emerges, fully clothed and her hair thrown up in a damp bun on top of her head.

"Thanks for the bath. And the massage. And for understanding." She tells him, hands pulling him into a tender hug. His arms encircle her waist as he presses a kiss to her forehead.

"Anytime sweetheart. And as fantastic as it would have been to have you in my bed, you're right. I do need to get some rest."

"Some other time maybe?" She asks, tilting her head back to look at him, watches as his eyes light up at her words.

"Definitely."

* * *

"Oh god I'm so nervous." She blurts out to Rebekah as they take their seats in the private box that Klaus had pulled for them. It's close to the pitch, and they have the option to go outside and take in the game from there if they want.

"I can assure you that you're not the only one Caroline." Elijah sinks down into the seat on her other side, a bottle of beer held between elegant fingers. "I find myself getting quite jittery about these important games." He clarifies as she glances at him in surprise.

She honestly hadn't expected to see Elijah here tonight. at the confused expression on her face, Rebekah laughs.

"Games like these, they're a family affair Caroline. I expect Mother and Henrik will be putting in an appearance soon enough. I think they hit some traffic." Rebekah mentions to Elijah, who just nods as a way of reply.

Rebekah's word it seemed, was true. Even Bonnie had managed to score some time off from the hospital on leave, and was here tonight with Kol.

Katherine Pierce saunters over, perching herself on Elijah's lap as he wraps an arm around her waist. He softens as Katherine presses a quick kiss to his cheek, and it flies in the face of everything that she's known and observed about Elijah Mikaelson as she watches the two of them interact.

"Sickening isn't it?" Rebekah asks with a nudge of the elbow as Katherine pokes out her tongue. "If we weren't such good friends I'd probably hate her." She stage whispers as Katherine rolls her eyes, running a manicured hand through Elijah's hair tenderly.

"Is Enzo coming tonight?" She asks curiously, wondering if he'd put in an appearance with so many Mikaelsons. He seemed to handle himself just fine at the charity gala.

"A little later." Rebekah replies, taking a sip of her own drink. "He's just finishing up with a client but he promised to come by as soon as he was done."

"Here we go." Elijah murmurs under his breath as the two teams emerge from the tunnel to commence their warm up before kick off.

Klaus looks determined, features set as he leads his team out onto the field at a steady jog. He looks totally at ease, but she can see the nervous tick of his jaw as one of the cameras zoom in on him.

Klaus doesn't glance their way, or come to interact with them like with previous games. He was all business for this one, and it was kind of hot if she was being honest with herself.

She watches him on the screen when it's focused on him, watches the way he begins a series of drills with the younger boys, reassuring pats on the shoulders and encouragements that she can see, even if she can't hear them.

Klaus glances towards the sidelines, where one of the coaches points towards his watch, no doubt to signal a few minutes until kick off.

"I'm a bit disappointed we're missing the rousing pep talk." Rebekah leans forward with a sigh. "He's always been so good at them."

Klaus is huddled together with his team, heads bowed together as he speaks to the circle at large. His team mates are nodding along with him, as they finish with a hands in before taking their positions on the field.

The other team do the same, and the game begins.

The game is electrifying, one of the best that she's ever seen play. Both teams are evenly matched, would have to be to make it this far in the EPL.

The match ebbs and flows, neither team making a dominant run for the goals. It's very much a taking of measures, members of both teams sizing up their opponents as the ball switches possession every so often.

Klaus' team make a few runs towards the end of the first half of play, but when the whistle blows, neither team have scored.

Nil all.

Enzo seemingly materialises out of thin air while both teams are in their locker rooms, kissing Rebekah gently on the lips before shaking hands with Elijah.

"Sorry I'm late. Score?"

"Nil all." Rebekah tells Enzo. "It's been a tight match though. Very evenly matched. There were a few times where we thought that we had it, but their keeper is really good."

"We'll get there. Drink?" He asks the group in general as Elijah nods, showing Enzo the beer he'd been drinking.

Rebekah turns suddenly, face lighting up with happiness.

"Mum!" She exclaims, leaping up from her seat and striding across the room to the elegant blonde woman who had just stepped through the front door.

From all reports, Esther Mikaelson had been quite the formidable woman in her day, a high flying lawyer before she'd retired to the countryside to raise her family.

Rebekah tugs Esther towards them, and she can't help but tug self consciously at her jeans and match jersey she's wearing as she stands.

"Mum, this is Caroline Forbes. Caroline, this is my mother, Esther."

Esther Mikaelson holds out a finely manicured hand for her.

"You must be Nik's girlfriend. It's such a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you from almost all of my children."

"I'm flattered. It's a pleasure to meet you as well Mrs Mikaelson." Caroline finally replies after a moment.

"Esther please." The older woman responds with a kind smile. "I'm not quite ready to admit my age just yet. How's the play been Rebekah?"

Rebekah launches into a blow by blow of the first half, describing a particularly complex play that had resulted in a free kick for Klaus' team.

Katherine pulls her down into her seat again.

"Relax, she likes you." Katherine murmurs, pressing a drink into her hand.

The others settle in around her as the second half begins.

In the end, all it takes is a mistake from one of the defenders on the opposing team, and a particularly clever feint by Klaus as he passes the ball along to one of his teammates.

Seconds later, before the keeper even has time to react, the ball is thundering into the back of the net.

The crowd erupts into screams at the unexpected goal, and a quick glance towards the clock counting down the time til the final whistle reveals just why everyone has gone so crazy.

With twenty seconds left on the clock, there's now way that the other team can even the score.

"Come on." Rebekah declares, pulling her to her feet and pushing out of the box. The others are following behind them, the din of the stadium absolutely crazy, fans already celebrating their teams victory.

The camera zooms in on Klaus' face, still so serious as he shouts out orders to the rest of his team. Although a goal was highly unlikely, he still didn't want them getting lax in the last seconds of the game.

The referee blows his whistle, and the longest twenty seconds of her life begins. It's Klaus that swoops in, stealing the ball from a dejected midfielder, sending it rocketing towards the other teams goal.

It wasn't enough to score, but it was enough to keep it up their end for precious seconds before the final siren sounds and the stadium erupts into delighted chaos.

Klaus sinks to his knees on the field, fists clenched in victory as the rest of his team streaks towards him, piling on in a group hug. He'd captained them through ups and downs, through intense training and scrutiny. And through it all, they'd emerged out the other side as the victors.

Rebekah is screaming into her ear as she pulls her into a hug, jumping up and down with delight.

"We won, we won!" She chants along with Henrik as they dance in a circle, Kol and Elijah and Enzo slapping each other on the back. Katherine slings an arm around her shoulder as Bonnie holds her drink aloft.

Esther Mikaelson is slightly more dignified than her children, but she can see that her eyes are shining with pride, and it makes her smile.

She's bursting with excitement, hands clutching the fence railings as her eyes seek out Klaus in the field of red and blue.

Impossibly, their eyes meet as Klaus gives her a wide grin, striding towards her from the opposite side of the pitch.

"Go!" Rebekah yells, pushing her through the gate and onto the pitch, the security guard stepping back to let her pass.

She breaks into a run, the rest of the Mikaelson family spilling onto the field after her.

Seconds later she's throwing herself into Klaus' arms, paying no mind to the cameras currently focused on them as she wraps her legs around her waist, his lips covering hers.

He's sweaty and he smells atrocious but she wouldn't be anywhere else as she presses her face into the skin of his neck.

"Congratulations." She murmurs into his ears over the din of the crowd. "Proud of you." She adds as he sets her down, cupping her face between his hands and kissing her again.

The rest of the family are upon them, and she takes a step back, watching as Klaus is folded into the embrace of his mother and his siblings.

It's a beautiful moment as Klaus wipes away tears of happiness, of joy as Elijah and Kol pull him into brief hugs.

He catches her eyes over the shoulder of Rebekah, and he mouths three words that make her heart skip a beat for a moment or two.

 _I love you._

* * *

 **AN:**

 **So much fluff in this chapter! I've wanted to get to this point in the story for awhile, and I even had to cut this chapter short! We'll see more post game** ** _celebrations_** **in the next chapter, promise!**

 **Hope you enjoyed this one, review and let me know your thoughts!**

 **xx**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, the Originals and Steroline would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

It felt like she'd been dancing for hours. The silver, sparkly dress that Rebekah had thrown at her earlier when they were getting ready to go out at her house now clung to her body, the heat of hundreds of people crammed into the club contributing to the stickiness in the air.

The atmosphere is euphoric, and she can't help but throw her head back and laugh to herself as she moves her body to the beat. Years of gymnastics and dance lessons meant that she was actually a pretty good dancer when she put her mind to it, even if clubs were never really her scene back in America.

Opposite her, Rebekah is in her own little world as she moves her hips to the heavy bass beat, drink in her hand as she sways back and forth. She's clearly a little buzzed, the laziness to her movement belying her level of soberness.

Rebekah clearly doesn't mind, more than able to fend off any guys with wandering hands that got just a little too close. Apart from being a Mikaelson, Rebekah was practically a celeb in her own right, what with the massive Instagram following and the successful fashion label. As such, she had plenty of guys lining up to have a moment with her, even if it was clear that she didn't have eyes for anyone else but Enzo.

Over Rebekah's shoulder she can see Klaus and Enzo, still leaning up against the bar, backs to the surface and drink in hand. They've got their heads bent together in conversation, but she knows that Klaus is hyperaware of everything that's happening in close proximity to Rebekah and to her.

She takes another sip of her own drink, still trying to process Klaus' 'I love you' from earlier. It's surprising how not scared she is by the declaration, even if she hadn't yet had the chance to bring it up with him tonight.

He'd been swept from post match presentations to photo opps to a press conference, and then a post match debrief with the coach and the rest of his team.

Rebekah had dragged her away after the presentation, letting her know that Klaus would probably be tied up in the next few hours and it's unlikely that she's going to see him for awhile. She and Katherine had then proceeded to bundle her into a car, telling Bonnie and Kol the name of the club that they were heading out to tonight to celebrate Klaus' win.

She'd protested to deaf ears, having had her own ideas of how she'd like the night to proceed, certain that Klaus would be on the same page. Rebekah had insisted, and she'd relented, and she'd somehow ended up on the dance floor of one of London's hottest clubs.

Klaus had arrived perhaps half an hour ago with some of the members of his team, immediately surrounded by well-wishers and supporters and more than a few women dressed in tight dresses and sky high heels, hoping to impress the captain.

Klaus had politely rebuffed every single one of them, before making his way to the bar where Enzo had taken up residence.

She takes a sip of her drink, eyes sweeping the club for familiar faces. A short distance away, Bonnie and Kol are swaying back and forth to the music, looking every inch a young couple in love as Kol bends down to yell something in Bonnie's ear.

Katherine had disappeared some time ago, and honestly she doesn't even want to know where she and Elijah have gone, and what they might be up to exactly. As she was very quickly discovering, her preconceived ideas of the person that Elijah Mikaelson was weren't exactly matching up with what Elijah was actually like.

The track changes to one of her favourites, and Rebekah lets out a delighted cry, slinging an arm around her shoulder and pulling her closer.

"I love this song! I'm so glad that I met you Caroline!" Rebekah yells above the music. "Even if you are dating my older brother!"

She muffles a laugh at that, but presses a noisy kiss to Rebekah's cheek.

"Glad I met you as well Beks!"

Rebekah just beams at her, mouthing along to the lyrics of the song, downing her drink before resting the glass on the nearest flat surface.

She feels a warm body standing a little too close to comfort, and she's about to drive her heel back into the intruder's foot when she realises at it's Klaus.

She leans back into his chest as he winds an arm around her waist, his lips hot against her neck.

"Hello love."

She turns in the circle of his arms, going up on her tip toes to pull him closer, wrap her arms around his neck.

"Congratulations. How do you feel?" She asks, the space between them virtually non existent as Klaus wraps a warm arm around her waist.

She'd never admit it out loud, but it felt so good to know that she wouldn't have to share him with the rest of the world soon enough, that he was officially on break from football until he started training for Olympic selections.

More time spent with Klaus was definitely an appealing prospect, even if it now meant that she was going to be the one with the ridiculously busy schedule.

"Pretty amazing." Klaus admits with a smile. "Do you want to get out of here?" He murmurs into her ear, just as the music cuts into a new song.

She draws back in surprise, a little taken aback by his bluntness. Klaus looks a little sheepish as he attempts to clarify.

"This has never really been my scene."

She just smiles, reaching down to take his hand.

"I honestly thought you'd never ask. Lead the way."

* * *

After getting accosted by papparazzi outside of the entrance of the club, Klaus takes a detour to the closest McDonald's. It would be far easier to go through the drive thru, but he insists on going inside to get his food, and to be honest she was pretty hungry herself after all the dancing and the drinking. She was so going to pay for this in next week's training.

She can't help but blink in the bright lights of the fast food store. They must be an absolute sight, she in her sparkly party dress and Klaus Mikaelson in the flesh sitting at one of the formica tables, a pair of greasy cheeseburgers on the table between them.

Klaus moans around the first mouthful of his cheeseburger, and she can't help but choke a little on her water at the sight and sound.

"This is heaven." Klaus declares, hooking his foot around hers as he demolishes the burger. "Seriously, this is the first cheeseburger I've had since we stepped up the training for the finals."

"God you must be starving." She replies, taking a slightly more dainty bite of her own burger. She'd earned it as well, what with the bland diet that she'd been sticking to closely over the past few weeks.

"Thanks for letting me take this detour." Klaus says suddenly, reaching over to lace his fingers with hers. It's so simple, so easy, and she smiles as she lets him.

"No problem. As I said, you probably haven't eaten for awhile. And to be honest the alcohol did make me hungry as well. Nothing like something greasy at the end of the night." She declares, taking another bite of her burger.

She pushes her fries towards Klaus, who doesn't hesitate to reach for a few, dipping them in the sweet and sour sauce that he'd asked for to go with his meal.

She sees a fan walk past, still dressed in the blue jersey of Klaus' team. She can almost pinpoint the moment when the fan recognises Klaus, the full body double take a little amusing as the boy's eyes widen.

"Holy shit, you're Klaus Mikaelson." The boy exclaims as Klaus looks up in surprise.

She sits back, dropping Klaus' hand as the boy comes towards them at Klaus' insistence.

"Were you at the game tonight?" Klaus asks politely, feeling around in his pockets absentmindedly for a sharpie or something that he can use to sign the boy's jersey.

The boy, perhaps guessing the direction of Klaus' thoughts, waves him away.

"Oh no, don't trouble yourself with that. I'm sure you've had your fill of the sport for the season, and the fans. Can I just say though, that assist in the back half of the second half was incredible. Good game man."

"Thanks." Klaus replies somewhat amusedly. "Thanks for coming to the game."

The boy pauses, giving him an awkward smile of sorts.

"I hate to ask, but would you mind taking a picture with me? You're one of my favourite players in the league and I'm sort of wondering if this is real."

Klaus chuckles as the boy passes over his phone, bending down to Klaus' level so they can both fit in the frame for a selfie.

She leans over the table, holding her hand out for the phone.

"Here, let me. That way one of you doesn't have to awkwardly hold the camera while you're trying to get a good shot."

"Thanks Caroline." The boy remarks somewhat nonchalantly as Klaus passes over the phone, eyes widening in surprise at the obvious recognition of her name.

She lines up the shot, firing off a few at once before passing the phone back over.

"Thanks so much again man." The boy says seriously. "And hey, good luck for the Olympics if you're planning on going out for them. You too Caroline." He adds with a nod towards her.

Klaus is still for a moment before turning back to his cheeseburger.

"That would probably have to be the most normal fan encounter that I've had in a long time."

* * *

Klaus has her pressed up against the wall of his bedroom before she even has time to process what's going on, lips hot against her neck as his hands slide down her sides, resting on her waist.

"Finally alone." Klaus murmurs before he's kissing her, devouring her, ravishing her. She gasps into his mouth as his hands drift lower towards her thighs, encouraging her to wrap her legs around his waist.

Klaus catches her easily, testament to the strength in his arms and upper body as he sits down at the end of his bed with her still in his arms.

She straddles him, pulling back away from him long enough to look him in the eye.

"You up for this?" She asks teasingly, grinding her hips down into his, feeling him half hard through his jeans. "Not too worn out?" She questions, hands tangling in the necklaces and cords wrapped around his neck.

One hand spans her lower back as the other slips through her hair, holding her in place, letting her feel just how up for this he actually is.

"Not in the slightest sweetheart, as I'm sure you're aware." He replies with a wicked smile that has her toes curling in her shoes, along with the awareness that they're both wearing too many layers of clothing.

She slides off Klaus' lap, coming to stand between his legs. She reaches for the zipper at the side of her dress, letting the fabric slide down her body, pool at her feet.

Klaus leans back, gaze darkening as he gives her a languid once over, eyes pursuing the parts of her body that had previously been covered.

She leans forward, clad only in black lace, pressing her lips to his in a gentle kiss.

Like everything in their relationship, sex was easy. Klaus seemed to know exactly what she needed, where to give her the most exquisite pleasure.

It had only been after she'd come twice on his tongue, his name on her lips that he'd finally, finally, sheathed himself inside of her, working his cock past her still fluttering muscles until she was full with the feeling of him.

Klaus stills above her, giving her time to adjust to him, to the size of him. He ducks down to press a kiss to the side of her neck, fingers lacing with hers before he begins to move with a lazy roll of the hips.

It's torture of the best kind, the slow drag, the push and pull as they move together, lips meeting every so often.

Klaus seems content to take his time, bringing her to the very edge of pleasure again and again, only to ease back on his movements when he could feel her tightening around him.

It came suddenly the wave of pleasure that had been building for so long, and it's with a soft moan that she tips her head back into the pillow, arching her back towards him as he thrusts into her suddenly once, twice, three times before he's finding his own release.

Klaus freezes when he pulls out as he sweeps his thumb over her cheekbone.

"Caroline, we didn't…" He trails off uncertainly, unsure how to put it into words.

She cups his cheek with a lazy smile.

"It's okay. Implant. I would have stopped you if there were any issues. It's okay." She repeats, smoothing her fingers over his brow until his frown turns into a look of contentment.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have assumed." He continues, kissing her on the brow before getting up and moving towards the bathroom.

He returns with a wet cloth, and she stretches out luxuriously as he wipes her down, then himself. The cloth is discarded somewhere over the side of the bed as Klaus slips in under the sheets next to her, pulling her into his arms.

"Klaus, it's fine. I'm assuming since we've been together for some time that you haven't exactly been sleeping around with anyone else." She tells him bluntly, resting her head on his chest, listening to the thrumming of his heartbeat as he comes down from his adrenaline high.

"No one else." He replies sleepily. "Only ever you."

She muffles her laughter, pressing her fingers into his skin, nuzzling into his neck.

"Go to sleep. you've had a big day." She whispers into his ear, smoothing his hair back from his forehead.

He's exhausted, that much is obvious, and maybe they shouldn't have done this tonight. But Klaus also looks happy, relaxed, sated.

Klaus yawns, eyes meeting hers for a moment.

"Stay the night, love?"

It takes her a moment to respond, still surprised by his question, along with the sudden realisation that she can do that now if they both want to, she'll no longer be a distraction for him now that his season is officially over.

"Yeah okay." She hides her smile, draping an arm over his stomach as she gets into a comfortable position.

"Okay." Klaus murmurs sleepily, before she recognises the signs that he's been pulled under by exhaustion.

She leans over to turn off the lamp sitting on the bedside table before joining him once again.

* * *

The sunlight warming her skin and shining through the lids of her eyes has her stirring some time later. A quick glance at the alarm clock on Klaus' nightstand reveals that many hours have passed since they fell asleep, and that it's officially a new day.

She rolls, cracking one eye open at the scratching noise that had also pulled her into consciousness.

Klaus is sitting in an armchair beside the bed, a piece of furniture that hadn't been there the previous night. There's a look of intense concentration on his face as his pencil flies across the pad that's resting in his lap.

She didn't know that he could draw.

Despite the intensity in his posture he looks relaxed, open, happy. For the entire week he'd had a nervous sort of energy about him, the weight of his captaincy well and truly resting on his shoulders, the pressure to win the Finals for his team.

It was like he was a completely different person, now that there were no more matches to play.

Klaus freezes when his eyes meet hers, the crystalline blue widening imperceptibly before he gives her a soft smile.

"Morning love."

She yawns into her hand, running the other through her mussed up hair. She couldn't wait to have a shower, to work through the tangles that had no doubt built up overnight.

"Morning to you as well. How are you feeling?" She asks curiously, wondering if he gets the same stiffness and soreness that she does after a big meet or competition.

"Thoroughly ravished." Klaus replies with a wink, eyes drifting back down to the pad in his lap as he runs a thumb absentmindedly over whatever he was working on. "Sleep well?"

She rolls onto her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows.

"Would've been better if I'd woken up next to you." She replies innocently, looking over her shoulder at him.

Klaus stands, closing his notepad with a loud slap.

"My apologies sweetheart. Tell me how I can acquit myself?"

She holds out a hand for him.

"Come here. Lie with me for awhile? It's nice not having anywhere to be right now."

"I think I have time in my busy schedule for that." Klaus remarks quietly, a soft smile on his face.

Klaus lifts the sheets, sliding under and settling next to her, the heat of his body warming her. She snuggles into his chest, resting her head against it with a content sigh.

"So last night was…" She trails off, unsure what words to use to describe the passion that Klaus had exhibited last night.

"Amazing, mind blowing, best lay you've ever had?" Klaus rattles off with a laugh.

"All of the above." She replies, poking him in the ribs for good measure. "It was… simple. Easy. Is that weird?"

Klaus wraps an arm around her waist, cradling her body against his.

"No it's not. I feel the same way sweetheart. I think we go well together, don't you?"

She props herself up on one elbow, twisting herself to face Klaus.

"Last night… I don't know if I was imagining things, but I think you might have not said something to me."

"Did I?" Klaus asks in bemusement. "You couldn't possibly be referring to when I mouthed that I loved you?"

Her breath catches in her throat as she blinks owlishly at him. Klaus' lips curve into a gentle smile as he reaches out to swipe a thumb tenderly over her cheekbone.

"Because it is true you know. I know that you and I haven't been together for very long, but I do. Love you." He adds, perhaps unnecessarily. "Does that scare you?" He asks mildly as she shakes her head in a denial.

"No it doesn't. Because I know that you're sincere about it. And Klaus… I love you too." She tells him, letting out the breath that she hadn't even realised that she'd been holding.

Klaus' smile is like the sun as he leans forward, kissing her softly.

"I thought that I'd scared you off maybe, that you were going to pretend that it hadn't happened." He tells her after a few beats. "And I wouldn't blame you. Tatia aside, casual flings have never really been my thing. When I'm in, I commit fully, often to my detriment." Klaus admits, fingers tangling with hers.

Her fingers play with the sheet at her chest, picking away at a stray thread as she meets his eyes.

"What were you drawing before?" She asks suddenly, curious to know just how good he was.

Klaus looks a little embarrassed, but leans towards the armchair, plucking the notepad from it's resting place.

"It's a little raw. Definitely not finished yet." He tells her as she flips back the cover, eyes widening when she recognises her familiar form.

It's a little strange, just how much of her Klaus had managed to capture in just a few short strokes of a pencil. She looks peaceful, unbound as she slumbers, sheets wrapped around her body and hair tumbling across the pillow.

"Klaus, this is beautiful." She drags a finger gently over the page, careful not to smudge the drawing. "Is there anything that you're not good at?"

Klaus props himself up on one elbow, pretending to consider for a moment.

"Monopoly." He finally replies as she rolls her eyes. "Kol always manages to clean me out without me even realising."

"Can I keep it?" She asks, pressing the notepad to her chest.

"Sure." Klaus replies, running a hand through her hair gently, tugging at the ends. "Will you let me finish it before I give it to you?"

"Mmm… yeah I think I can do that. Especially now that you've got so much time on your hands." She teases as he chuckles.

Klaus pauses before he continues speaking.

"This probably isn't what you had in mind when you came over here, was it sweetheart?" He asks with a soft chuckle.

"It wasn't." She replies honestly, bringing their hands up to her lips, pressing a kiss to the back of his. "But I'm really glad that it did happen. I want to make this work with you, even when I go back to America."

"We've got some time." Klaus presses his lips into her hair, pulling her closer. "Let's cross that bridge when we get to it."

"You're my happiest accident Klaus Mikaelson. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

 **AN: So this story has basically turned into one giant ball of fluff, and I'm actually okay with that. It's nice to write something that's soft and sweet and slow and not driven by angst for once.**

 **I apologise for the somewhat underwhelming smut. It's never been my strong point and something that I'm hoping to improve on. I'll do my best to make it up to you guys a little further on in the story.**

 **Coming up we have the annual Mikaelson family holiday, Kol and Bonnie's wedding (because there always seems to be a wedding in every AH I write, and Caroline will eventually head back to America to confront her demons, her teammates, and her biggest rival in the form of Hayley Marshall as she fights for her place on the Olympic team.**

 **Hope you enjoyed! I honestly have no idea how much is left in this story, and I'm totally chill with that.**

 **Also who else is psyched for a possible Klaroline endgame?**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, The Originals and Steroline would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

She practically beams when Alaric's face appears on the screen, still on a high from Klaus' victory in the EPL and the massive step that their relationship had taken.

They'd spent the better part of the morning curled up in bed and tangled up in the bed sheets, lazily kissing and revelling in the fact that neither of them had anywhere to be in that particular moment.

For once, they had the entire day to themselves. Of course, Klaus would be tied up with press for the rest of the week, and post match parades with the fans, but for the most part he was hers, she was his, and it was perfect.

"You're in a good mood." Alaric greets her, eyes narrowing for an instant before he smiles at her in return. "How's the boyfriend? Killer game."

She muffles a laugh in her hand, settling in at the desk chair and placing her laptop carefully on the surface in front of her.

"He's fine. We both are. He's on downtime and I'm working hard."

"Good to hear. Isobel has been giving quite positive reports. Try not to look too surprised." Alaric remarks sarcastically as she gapes at him.

"As you well know Ric, Isobel giving praise is the equivalent of humans having the ability to breathe underwater. It just doesn't happen." She points out as Alaric's shoulders shake with silent laughter.

"Trust me, no one knows that better than I considering we married and divorced. I've missed your humour. I know the girls have as well. Not the same without you."

Like Isobel, Alaric wasn't one to give out compliments freely, although he did have a bit of a soft spot for her. Ric had been friends with her dad before the whole divorce thing, and she had always viewed him as a mentor of sorts, a male presence where her dad had been absent.

"How are the girls? No more injuries I hope?" She enquires politely.

She did miss the girls, her team, the ones that she'd gone through hell and high water with to get to the point where she is today. Elena, and especially little Vicki Donovan had been there for her through thick and thin, and had been the first to turn up at her hospital bedside when she'd got the diagnosis of a torn ACL.

It had been Elena and Vicki and April that had cried when they'd found out that she was going to England, worried that she wasn't ever going to come back again, that she wasn't ever going to compete again.

"Fighting fit and raring to go for Rio. They're all gearing up for the selections, as I'm sure you are as well. Have you got your tumbling lines nailed?"

"Getting there." She smiles wryly to herself as Ric chuckles. "Gotta watch that step out when I finish the triple twist."

"Always has been your biggest weakness on the floor. Keep practicing. I'm expecting you to have it perfect by the time you touch down in the States again." Alaric orders as she nods to herself.

"Of course. You're the last person in the world that I want to let down. Tell me more about Hayley Marshall." She commands Alaric, who lets out a long suffering sigh.

"Girl is good, but she's the bane of my existence. All attitude and no sense of team work. She's driving the other girls mad. Even April." Alaric adds.

She raises an eyebrow at that, because April Young is quite possibly the most impossible person to ruffle or upset. So the fact that April was pissed off was testament to just how frustrating Hayley must be to train with.

"Do you think she has a chance of pushing me out of the team?" She asks hesitantly, not even sure if she wants to know the answer to that question.

Alaric rolls his shoulders, scrubbing a hand over his face. He looks tired, worn down. It's always highlighted just how hard training is on the athletes when it comes to big competitions like the Olympics and the trials that precede it, but no one seems to remember how hard it is on the coaches as well.

The long hours, the repetition, the going through motions with athletes again and again and again until they get it _just_ right.

"I think you just need to keep going. And bring the fire when you come to trials. You know what the selection committee are like Caroline. They like the best, but they like them to be young as well."

Ric pauses for a moment before clarifying.

"And that just sounded incredibly creepy. What I meant to say is that the reason why they like the squad young is so they can go on to compete at another games. People like familiarity, continuity. April and Vicki both have a good chance at getting back in after Rio."

"But I'll probably be done." She finishes, picking up loud and clear what Alaric had left unsaid.

Alaric smiles sympathetically.

"Are you okay?" He asks softly. "I know this must be hard for you to hear."

She squares her shoulders, jutting her chin out defiantly.

"It's not entirely unexpected. Seriously." She adds at his incredulous expression. "I am getting old, and there are younger girls coming up that deserve their chance to shine. Honestly I was considering retirement after these Games anyway. Guess it just makes my decision a little easier."

"I don't want you to throw the towel in. You know how brilliant you are, and so do I. We just have to remind the selection panel, all of whom seem to have sticks permanently lodged up their arses."

"I just want to go out on my terms. Not theirs." She tells Ric softly, who nods, getting what she means straight away. "And you're going to hate me, but I did want to ask you something."

"Oh god I'm already dreading your question." Ric holds his hands up to his face, peeking at her through his fingers. "What is it?"

"I would like to take a week off." She requests politely as Ric lets his hands fall from his face, blinking at her in surprise. "Klaus and his family are hiring this stupidly massive yacht and charting a course up the coast of Italy. And they've asked me to come with them."

"Isobel's not going to be happy, but no objections from my end. I'm sure she'll be glad to see the back of you for a few days."

She runs a hand through her hair, giving Ric a beaming smile.

"Trust me, the feeling is mutual. But thanks. I really appreciate it."

"No problem kiddo."

Alaric gives her a teasing smile.

"Just remember that if you don't make it back onto the squad I will happily murder you."

All she can do is laugh as a way of reply.

* * *

"I'm sorry I'm late!" She calls, dumping her handbag onto the floor and craning her neck to see where Bonnie might be.

Katherine is lounging on one of the sumptuous chairs in the private fitting area of the upmarket bridal boutique that she's found herself in.

It was all Bonnie's fault really. Her friend, having had a rare day off from working at the hospital had messaged her, asking her to come to her dress fitting after she finished up training.

She'd gone hard for the whole day, biting back every thinly veiled insult she'd been tempted to hurl at Isobel whenever the older woman had made a snide comment about her posture or the way she twisted her arm, or her dismount from the bars.

When the clock had struck three she'd been out of the gym before Isobel could even protest, calling out a farewell to Enzo as she'd made a beeline for the closest Tube Station.

She'd gotten a few strange looks, probably from people that recognised her from her very highly publicised kiss with Klaus after his game. As it happened, all the trashy tabloids had picked it up, and she'd been plastered across the headlines for a few hours.

She'd remained blissfully unaware of that fact, only having noticed when Kol had texted her the cover of one of the magazines along with some crying with laughter emojis. Klaus had seemingly taken it all in stride when she'd shown him, checking that she wasn't freaked out before deleting Kol's message and kissing her until she'd forgotten all about it.

"Champagne, babe?" Katherine interrupts her train of thought, holding out a bottle of Dom, groping around for a glass with the other hand.

"Actually I think I might?" She replies hesitantly as Katherine arches a perfectly waxed brow.

"Did Caroline just willingly accept alcohol?" Rebekah calls from behind the curtain, poking her head through the red velvet drapes. "Really?"

Rebekah looks excited, eyes alight with happiness, a measuring tape slung around her neck.

Katherine just rolls her eyes, handing her a glass of champagne.

"Lots to celebrate Beks. Like the fact that your best friend is fucking your older brother." Katherine drawls with a smirk towards her.

"Ugh, so nothing new then, given how long you've been hanging around me. All the same, I'd rather not think about it."

Rebekah disappears behind the drapes again, before popping her head out again.

"Good to see you Caroline." Rebekah gives her a soft smile. "And nice to see you so happy. Drink." She commands before closing the curtains once more.

Caroline laughs to herself, sipping at the champagne as Katherine plucks her phone from the pocket of her ever present black leather pants.

"How long have you been here exactly?" She asks Katherine tentatively as she sinks down into the other plush chair.

Katherine's brow furrows as she considers the question.

"About an hour already. Beks kicked the seamstress out about fifty minutes ago, and she's been sulking in the back of the shop ever since. She said, and I quote, don't fuck with me, I make dresses that are worth more than this shop."

"Rebekah you bitch." She calls towards the curtain as Rebekah yells back a 'fuck you'.

Katherine glances down at her phone once more, tapping out a message to somebody. Probably Elijah.

"I'm surprised the shop owner hasn't conspired to murder us yet. I would have, if I was her." Katherine sighs, slipping the phone back into her pocket. "Are you done yet?" She raises her voice towards the curtain.

"I don't get why Rebekah just doesn't make a dress for Bonnie."

"Because Caroline, couture wedding dresses unfortunately just don't appear out of thin air. They take time, they take blood, sweat, tears, and a lot of late nights." Rebekah quips as she steps out of the curtain, drawing back the hangings so that she can see Bonnie up on the raised pedestal in her gown.

"And although I would love to make a gown for Bonnie, I unfortunately simply do not have the time, especially with the wedding approaching so quickly."

She takes a sharp breath in as she sees her oldest friend draped in a gorgeous white gown.

"Oh Bon it's beautiful. You look stunning." She says as she steps closer, depositing her glass of champagne on the table next to Katherine.

Bonnie smiles at her in the mirror before turning her gaze back to the dress, smoothing her hands over the front.

"Do you think so? It isn't too much?"

The dress is stunning, strapless with a sweetheart neckline and a full skirt. The small train just dips along the floor given Bonnie's raised position, but she can tell that it's going to look absolutely stunning on the day.

"It's perfect." She declares, stepping up next to Bonnie, being careful not to bump or jostle her. "Is this _the_ dress?"

Bonnie hesitates for a long moment, taking a deep breath in and staring at herself in the mirror, gaze softening the longer she looks.

Honestly, she can understand Bonnie's hesitation. Bonnie spent more time in scrubs than in regular clothing, let alone a beautiful gown. It was the feeling of not knowing if you actually looked genuinely beautiful, or if it was just everyone telling you that you did.

It had taken her a long time to get over the insecurities that she had with her body, the fact that she had more muscles than curves, that she often had man shoulders and a six pack.

But in the end she'd grown and she'd learnt to accept herself, perceived flaws and all. She sensed that Bonnie was having a metamorphosis moment right now, and was content to stay silent.

"This is the dress." Bonnie declares suddenly. "I love it. Rebekah your taste is incredible." Bonnie remarks softly as Rebekah gives her a smile.

"I would hope so, given my occupation. But seriously, you're a vision. Stunning, Kol is going to be beside himself."

"Here's hoping." Bonnie replies with a quick smile, picking up the skirts and stepping down off the raised platform. "Caroline, I have a dress that I'd love for you to try on. I can't have my maid of honour looking like she's wearing a hessian sack."

Her jaw drops as Bonnie's words register.

"Seriously? You want me to be your maid of honour? Bon of course I will!" She says excitedly, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet with a grin.

Bonnie waves her towards the dress, a dusty pink rose creation that looks amazing on the rack. She strips quickly, ignoring Rebekah and Katherine's wolf whistles as she steps into the dress and pulls it up her body, settling the straps in around her shoulders.

It fits her wonderfully, the only adjustment that will probably be need to be made being the skirt, which is just a little _too_ long and will probably annoy her to no end on the big day if she keeps tripping over it.

"Perfect colour." Rebekah calls from her perch on the seat as Katherine nods in agreement, downing the rest of her champagne. "Offsets your blonde hair beautifully."

Katherine unfolds her tall form from the chair, casting a critical gaze over them both before giving them a wicked smile.

"Okay, now that we've established that you both look hot, let's put a deposit down on these dresses and then go and celebrate at the nearest bar doing cocktail happy hour. Agreed?"

She exchanges a glance with Bonnie, who just shrugs with a sigh, like she's used to this sort of stuff with Katherine.

"Agreed."

* * *

"Okay, you didn't tell me that you grew up in a castle." She peeks out the front of the SUV's window as Klaus sweeps them up the long drive towards the imposing house perched on the hill.

Klaus' mother had invited them to dinner, expressing an interest to meet her. She couldn't really refuse such an invitation, and so they'd been given a time and a date to show up.

Klaus' hands tighten around the wheel for a moment, his melodious chuckle echoing around the car as he draws them to a halt, killing the ignition.

"Not a castle." He clarifies as they both push open their car doors, unbuckling their seatbelts. "As it turns out, some far flung ancestor of ours was a rich noble in the court of Henry VIII. Not only did he manage to outlive the king, which is rare in and of itself, he was also gifted this house, which was passed down through the generations."

She slides out of the SUV, heels landing on crunchy stone as she takes a step forward, gazing up at the grand structure.

"I suppose it had it's advantages given how many siblings you have." She remarks lightly, slamming the door shut behind her as Klaus comes to join her, a hand placed at her lower back to propel her forward.

The front door is just as intimidating as the rest of the house as they mount the steps. Klaus doesn't bother to knock, just reaches around her and twists the heavy door knob, pushing the heavy door inwards.

"After you then."

She steps into foyer, peering around curiously at the decorations, expecting to see tapestries and candles in sconces to light their way.

Instead the foyer is surprisingly light and modern, a testament to Esther's good taste no doubt. The house had obviously gone through an upgrade since Klaus' ancestor had first lived here, but the decor still managed to stay true to the period of time that the house was built in.

She hears footsteps coming from one of the rooms branching off from the foyer and squares her shoulders in preparation of coming face to face with Klaus' mother again.

Esther had seemed nice enough to her in front of her other children, but she wasn't sure if that behaviour would extend now that it was just her and Klaus.

"Niklaus." Esther appears in the foyer, wiping her hands on her apron, a bright smile for her third eldest son as she steps towards them. "So good to see you."

Klaus bends down obediently so Esther can brush a kiss against his cheek, squeezing him gently on the arm as she smiles up at him.

It's obvious that for all her children, Esther has a particular soft spot for Klaus. Klaus returns her greeting, handing over the bottle of red wine that they'd selected together to bring to dinner.

"You shouldn't have." Esther scolds him upon seeing the label on the bottle.

There's a pause as Esther turns from Klaus to her before the other woman is pulling her into a hug.

"Welcome Caroline. It's so nice to see you again. I'm sorry that we didn't have much of a chance to talk to each other at the game."

She's struck dumb at the other woman's kindness, can't help but compare it to the first time she ever met Tyler's parents, a completely different experience to the one that she's having now.

"Thankyou for inviting me into your home." She returns after a beat, when Esther has stepped back from her. "And I'm sorry we didn't get the chance either. So much going on."

Esther smiles at her, before tucking some hair behind her ear from where it's escaped her elegant chignon.

"Yes well it all seems to have turned out well. Come on through, dinner is almost ready. Let's have a glass of wine."

She and Klaus follow Esther through to the kitchen, which flows open plan into the dining and living rooms.

"Is there anything that I can do to help?" She asks the older woman as Klaus moves past them, on the hunt for some wine glasses and a cork screw.

"Oh no, everything's under control. I just have to get everything out of the oven and then we'll be ready to eat. I tried to make it as healthy as possible, even though Niklaus is on a bit of a break I know that you're still training."

Esther leads her over to the lounge, gesturing for her to sit as she does the same.

"Thank you. That's very thoughtful of you." She replies once she's settled and comfortable.

Klaus materialises in front of them, placing the glasses on the table and pouring out the wine before handing one first o his mother, and then to her as he presses a gentle kiss to her temple.

It makes her jump slightly, surprised that Klaus is so comfortable with showing affection towards her in front of his mother.

"Tell me a bit about yourself Caroline." Esther begins gently. "I feel like I've heard bits and pieces from my children and from Niklaus, but I'd like to hear from you as well."

She tells Esther as much as she can without rambling. Her childhood in Mystic Falls, Virginia where she grew up with Bonnie and Elena. How she got into dancing first, and then gymnastics in school before discovering that she had a natural ability for the latter.

Her mother's surprise when she found out how serious she was about the sport, how supportive she was even when her father wasn't.

"Was your father a big part of your life?" Esther questions as she takes a sip of her wine.

"Not really." She admits, taking a gulp from her own glass. "He walked out on my mum and I when I was younger."

"Something you and Niklaus have in common it would seem." Esther replies, but doesn't clarify further.

Klaus slings an arm around her from where he's sitting beside her.

The timer for the oven dings and Esther gets to her feet quickly, depositing her glass of wine on the table in front of them and striding off towards the kitchen.

"Sorry." Klaus murmurs in her ear. "I know she's nosy, but she just wants to get to know you. She likes you, for what it's worth."

She squeezes his knee gently before taking his hand.

"It's fine, really. Your mother is lovely."

Esther pokes her head around the archway, disturbing their peaceful moment.

"Are you two ready to eat?"

Dinner is simple but delicious, conversation flowing easily as she learns more about Esther, and Esther learns more about her. She and Klaus clear the plates before Esther can start protesting, working as a team to rinse them and stack them into the dishwasher.

Esther rises from her place at the head of the table, moving towards Klaus, pulling him into a hug.

"Thank you both for a lovely evening. If it's not rude of me, I'm going to retire."

"Of course mother." Klaus replies, burying his head into her shoulder. "I'm sure you've got plenty to do with Kol's wedding fast approaching.

"It was wonderful to finally meet you Caroline." Esther allows, clasping her hand gently before moving off further into the house.

Klaus wraps an arm around her waist, steering her once more towards the foyer, helping her with her coat.

"I was hoping for a tour." She remarks lightly to Klaus, who runs a gentle hand through her hair.

"We can sneak away during the wedding reception. I promise I'll even show you the embarrassing family portrait and everything." Klaus replies with a gentle nudge.

"Come on then love. Let's get you back home. Unless you wanted to stay over at mine?" He asks innocently as he pulls open the door, ushering her out into the cool night air.

"Hmm, what a tempting offer." She shoots back teasingly as he tangles their hands together, pressing her up against the side of the SUV with a smile.

She laces her arms around his neck even as he bends down to kiss her, hands sliding down her waist.

"Oh I almost forgot to tell you!" She exclaims as Klaus moves his lips to her neck with a low growl. "I spoke to Alaric today about the Mikaelson family holiday that you so kindly invited me along to."

At this Klaus draws back, caging her in against the car with his arms.

"And?" He prompts, eyebrow raised, expectantly waiting for her answer.

"He totally said that I could come." She replies somewhat nonchalantly, toying with his ever present necklace with a grin.

Klaus closes the distance between them once more, and this time she doesn't stop him.

* * *

 **AN:**

 **Sorry for the filler chapter guys! Next chapter will be full of Mikaelson family holiday goodness, promise. I did also want to get in some girl time with Bonnie, because she has been largely absent for the past few chapters.**

 **On another, slightly less positive note, if you aren't very active on Tumblr, you would not have seen the news that I and other Klaroline authors have unfortunately had some of our work plagiarised. For me, it was three drabbles.**

 **As if it wasn't insult enough, they've been changed from a Klaroline pairing to the Steroline pairing.**

 **The user still has these stories up on fan fiction under the username ashai (with a full stop after the letter 'a' and letter 's') and has so far made no move to take the stories down or acknowledge that they have done anything wrong.**

 **For a writer, it's incredibly disappointing to see others take our work and try to pass it off as their own, and it made me quite angry to see it happen not just to me, but to others as well.**

 **If you haven't already done so, I ask that you take the time to report the user to the fan fiction support team. The more reports that an account gets, the quicker it can hopefully get taken down.**

 **If you are unsure how to report someone, please send me a PM and I will be happy to give you instructions.**

 **Thanks as always for sticking with me on this story, and hope you enjoy.**

 **\- Katie**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, The Originals and Steroline would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

 ** _The Italian Coast_**

She teeters on the port side of the boat on the outside of the railing, eyeing off the azure blue water with some trepidation.

"Come on Caroline!" Kol yells from the water, dark hair slicked back from his forehead. "You'll be fine!"

"Those are famous last words if ever I heard them." Klaus remarks amusedly from next to her, where he's sitting on the railing, dressed in nothing but a pair of striped board shorts, Ray Bans perched on his nose.

She takes a moment to blatantly check him out, the pull of his muscles on his chest and abdomen as he leans forward slightly to see where Kol is.

"See something you like sweetheart?" Klaus directs towards her with a smirk.

She just leans over and gives him a quick peck.

"You know how much I like it." She whispers coyly in his ear, before turning and diving off the yacht, not pausing long enough to see the shocked expression on Klaus' face.

She slices through the clear blue water, bubbles caressing her skin as she kicks her way towards the surface, coming up next to Kol and sending a wave of water in his direction.

Kol just rolls his eyes, ducking her feeble attempts to splash him.

"Told you that you'd be fine." Kol replies over the sound of an almighty splash.

A quick glance up at the railing tells her that it's Klaus that's most likely cannonballed into the water, Rebekah preferring to soak up the sunshine with Bonnie and Enzo on the upper deck with a book and a bottle of wine, and Katherine and Elijah doing god only knows what.

Klaus surfaces next to her, flicking his hair out of his eyes and pulling her towards him, tangling their legs together.

Almost automatically, she wraps her arms around his neck with a smile.

"Glad you came?" Klaus swipes a thumb over her cheekbone, a surprisingly tender gesture as he chases away the water droplets on her skin.

"Very." She confirms for him. "This is amazing."

Amazing might have been putting it lightly. The yacht that Klaus and his siblings had rented out for the week was an absolute monster, and she shuddered at the thought of just how much it had cost.

The yacht came with four cabins, more than enough space for each couple to have their own private area. There was also the added bonus of a chef and someone to actually steer the yacht for them.

It truly was a holiday in every sense of the word. The sunshine was a nice change from the dreariness of England, something that each of them had noticed when they'd stepped off the plane at Genoa airport in Northern Italy.

And to be honest, it did feel kinda good to be able to have a lazy sleep in, the warmth of Klaus' body a comfort, and not having to worry about training or The Olympics or younger rivals that threatened to supplant her.

In the stillness around her, she realises that Kol has left them alone, no doubt giving them space or to go and hunt down food.

Klaus realises this at the same time, and a wicked grin creeps across his face as he paddles them innocently towards the side of the yacht, hiding them from the view of his siblings.

Her back hits the smooth hull, and she can't help but wrap her legs around Klaus' waist when he covers her lips with his.

She's always amazed at the spark between them, something that never does go away. She tilts her head, gripping him gently at the back of the neck to pull him closer, deepening their embrace.

"i wish I could take you to bed right now." Klaus murmurs into the air between them, her breathing hitching when his words register.

With gentle fingers she plays with the hair at the back of his neck, pretending to consider his statement.

"Well you could, if you really wanted." She replies boldly, Klaus blinking at her in surprise before he lets out a stuttering laugh, pressing a hot, open mouthed kiss to the side of her neck that makes her sigh.

"Somehow I don't think my siblings will appreciate just how 'vocal' you can be love." Klaus says with another soft laugh.

"I guess we'll just have to be extra quiet tonight then." She remarks lightly with a smile of her own.

She was looking forward to getting him alone later tonight, had a feeling he'd love the lingerie that she'd purchased on a recent shopping trip with Bonnie, Rebekah and Katherine.

"Mmm." Klaus noses up the side of her neck, teeth tugging gently at her earlobe. "Something to look forward to then."

"God you two are sickening." Kol pronounces from his spot on the railing above them. "If you two are quite done undressing each other with your eyes, lunch is being served on the upper deck."

Kol turns and flounces away before either of them can reply, and she collapses in silent giggles, Klaus' arms still around her as the water laps between them.

"Well I suppose we can't exactly turn down that, can we?" Klaus asks with a raised eyebrow.

The others are in the midst of a lively discussion when they finally seat themselves at the table, Kol and Elijah arguing over god only knows what.

Katherine is halfway through a glass of white wine, eyes rolling every so often as Kol makes a ridicules argument.

Bonnie and Rebekah interject every so often, Enzo being the only one actually eating. Smart boy.

Klaus reaches over to pour her a glass of wine, and she squeezes his hand once in thanks. Klaus squeezes back, thumb running over her knuckles, lingering on her fourth finger for a moment.

Her breath hitches in her throat for a moment, Klaus glancing at her knowingly before reaching for his own glass of wine.

She sips at her drink, looking around at the people she loves with a soft smile.

And a part of her thinks that she could definitely get used to this life, with this man sitting beside her.

* * *

"Where are you taking me, because lets be honest, this is getting kind of weird." She says with a laugh, trying not to play with the blindfold around her eyes.

Klaus had been so gentle with her this morning, stating that he had a surprise for her, and then asking permission to tie the silken material around her eyes once they'd docked.

She'd agreed, letting him guide her into the backseat of a waiting car, driver not even batting an eyelash at the whole blindfold thing. She'd felt him settle in next to her, buckling her into her seat belt before slinging an arm around her shoulder.

"I told you love, just relax. I promise you'll like this surprise." Klaus replies gently, fingers tucking a stray curl behind her ear.

They'd been driving for about an hour now, and there's not much to do but sit and close her eyes, which is kind of rendered redundant thanks to the blindfold blocking out most of her eyes.

Soon enough she's dozing, Klaus and the drivers conversation in Italian just evident at the edge of her consciousness.

"Is here good?" The driver asks quietly, and she feels the car pull over as Klaus murmurs in agreement.

She hears Klaus push his door open, and for a moment she's alone in the backseat of the car, that is until she the air on her face as her own door is opened.

Klaus unbuckles her, before holding out a hand and guiding her out of the car.

"Take a step up sweetheart, there's a kerb right here."

She does as he requests, both of her hands in his as she steadies herself.

"I'm going to take this off now, okay?" Klaus says lightly, fingers fumbling with the knot at the back of her head keeping the material in place.

Bright sunlight floods her eyes when she opens them, and she has to blink a few times to get rid of the dark spots in her vision.

And then her jaw drops, because she's standing in front of something that she's only ever seen in the pages of a history book.

"Klaus." She begins hesitantly, turning towards him with a grin. "Is that the Colosseum?"

Klaus just smiles as a way of reply.

"Welcome to the Eternal City Caroline. More commonly referred to as Rome."

Klaus shows her a side of the city that she probably wouldn't get to see had she come here on a tour. They walk around the inside of the Colosseum, dodging the crowds as Klaus tells her the history behind the building that had stood for thousands of years.

They grab an espresso from a stand up coffee bar, her nose wrinkling at the strength of the blend, the bitter taste a shock to her tastebuds.

"A little different to American coffee, no?" Klaus asks with a laugh, watching her drain the rest of her espresso.

"I suppose this is coffee as it should be." She replies, wiping at her mouth and reaching for her glass of water to wash away the strange aftertaste.

"Sort of." Klaus says with a secret smile. He doesn't elaborate further.

They have lunch in a little restaurant off the beaten track, just people watching as they share an enormous plate of spaghetti, a bottle of red wine between them.

She's probably going to regret the diet she'd been keeping on this holiday next week when she goes back to training, but right now she can't bring herself to care, leaning over the table to swipe at the corner of Klaus' mouth with her thumb, collecting the sauce that had been left behind.

"Messy." She scolds him with a teasing smile.

His answering smile is like the sun.

She lets Klaus pull her along back alleys and twisting streets, content to see the city through his eyes, determined to come back with him one day and do all of the tourist stuff.

"Why Rome?" She asks him when they're sitting on the edge of the Trevi Fountain, the coolness of the water a nice contrast to the heat of the sun.

She's just tossed a coin over her shoulder into the water, a longstanding tradition for all who come to Rome.

Klaus looks thoughtful for a moment.

"I've been fortunate enough to have done a bit of travelling because of my career. Endorsements, training, coaching, playing." He begins, ducking down to swipe a hand through the water, flicking a few drops towards her. "It's one of my favourite cities in the world."

"I never would have guessed. I thought you were too much of an English boy." She replies teasingly as he rolls his eyes.

"Rome, Paris, Tokyo. All three are so different, but each are amazing in their own unique way. I'd like to take you to all three one day, if you'll let me."

She's stunned by his offer, the ease in which he name drops the three cities that she's never had the opportunity to travel to. In fact, she hasn't really had much of an opportunity to travel full stop.

Growing up, most of her mom's money had gone towards her gymnastics rather than expensive overseas trips. They'd had a few nice vacations by the seaside, but for the most part she'd remained stateside, travelling internationally only to compete, or to recover from her torn ACL.

"I'd really like that Klaus." She replies honestly, because she's always had that travel bug, even if she couldn't just get on a plane and leave her life behind.

"God I cannot wait until the Olympics are over." Klaus says quietly, running a hand through sandy blonde hair. "It feels so far away right now."

"It doesn't for me." She tells him softly as he throws her an apologetic glance. "Are you nervous about trials?"

"A little." He replies, fingers lacing with hers as he watches the city go by. "I'm not really getting any younger you know? I'm feeling pretty good about making the squad, but whether the squad can make it to the finals is another matter entirely."

His brow furrows as he frowns, and she leans over, hand smoothing over his forehead.

"Hey. You'll be fine okay? Even if you aren't the captain, which you probably will end up being, you have a strange talent of bringing people together. I've seen it happen first hand at your games." She tells him honestly as she rests her head against his shoulder.

The ebb and flow of the city around her is a strange sensation, but one that calms her.

"Whatever happens, just know that I'll always be proud of you. And that I love you."

* * *

"So how was your romantic day in Rome?" Rebekah questions from where she's lazing on the daybed next to Katherine in a red polka dot bikini.

She sinks down onto the edge of the daybed, careful not to disturb the two girls as they soak up the sun.

"It was nice. I'd never been, so it was an amazing city to see. Somehow I don't think one day was going to be enough." She replies, kicking off her sandals and flopping down next to Katherine, jostling the other girl with her elbow.

Katherine scowls at her around her sunglasses but says nothing, simply jabs a sharp elbow into her ribs.

Okay, she kind of deserved that.

Rebekah just yawns into her fist, glancing down at her phone to see the time.

"I'm sure Nik will take you back one day." Rebekah muses out loud, shielding her eyes with her hand as she squints at her. "He did offer didn't he?"

"Yeah he did. We might go after The Olympics are all done."

"Good. You two deserve a longer break than what a week can give you, given all the craziness that the two of you are set to go through in the next couple of months. Have you got a departure date yet?"

Funnily enough, she had received that email from Alaric this morning. It was bittersweet, realising that she only had a couple of weeks left in England with Bonnie and Katherine and Enzo and The Mikaelson's before she'd be flying back to her old life in America.

"I do actually." She replies lightly as Rebekah and Katherine both turn to stare at her in surprise, perhaps not realising that her departure date would be coming up so soon. "It's about a week after Bonnie and Kol's wedding."

"So soon." Rebekah murmurs, looking a little distressed by the news. Katherine rests a comforting hand on Rebekah's shoulder. "I thought that you'd have more time."

"Trials are coming up fast Beks. I need a few weeks to acclimate myself in America before they begin. I wanted to stay for longer as well, but it's just not going to be possible if I want to make it onto the team."

"Well for the record Forbes, I am going to miss you. Can I come and visit you?"

She can't help but laugh softly at the other girls question.

"Of course Bekah. I'm still living on the same planet you know."

"I know." Rebekah says with a sad smile. "But we'll miss you terribly as you well know. You're practically like a sister to me Caroline."

She smiles at Rebekah's declaration, leaning over Katherine to pull the other girl into a hug.

"For what it's worth, you're like the sister that I never had. You both are." She turns to Katherine as the other girl sits up, wrapping her arms around both of their shoulders.

She doesn't know how long she sits there curled up with Rebekah and Katherine, but it doesn't matter.

She would miss these girls, would miss this family.

"Hey, I haven't had a chance to tell Klaus yet about my departure date. Can you keep it quiet while I go and find him?"

Rebekah nods, brushing some tears away from her eyes.

"Go. This is a conversation that you both need to have."

* * *

"Do you think we were quiet enough?" She whispers to Klaus later, sweat cooling on their bodies as he pulls her into the circle of his arms.

Klaus chuckles, pressing a kiss to the top of her golden curls.

"I'm sure we'll hear about it in the morning if we weren't, sweetheart."

As predicted, Klaus had very much liked the lingerie that she had bought for the trip, had proceeded to peel it very slowly off her body and had told her just how much he adored her.

The sex had been great, even if she was dreading the conversation that they were about to have.

"I have to tell you something." She begins, clearing her throat as she traces shapes on Klaus' chest with a gentle finger. "Alaric emailed, and he's told me the date that I'm flying back to America."

She feels Klaus stiffen around her, and he's silent for a long moment before he swallows audibly.

"Okay." He replies carefully. "Talk to me love."

"You know as well as I do just how hard trials are going to be for both of us. Alaric has suggested that I leave about a week after Kol and Bonnie's wedding." She says quickly, hoping that if she just gets it all out now it will be less painful later. Like ripping off a bandaid.

"That gives us about what, three weeks?" Klaus mentally calculates the dates in his head as he dances gentle fingers over her shoulder. She curls into his touch, draping her arm across his waist, sheet pooling at his hips.

"Yeah. I'm sorry. I thought we'd have a bit longer. But Alaric was insistent."

"It's okay." Klaus murmurs, fingers continuing to stroke up and down his arm. "So what to do sweetheart?"

She props herself up on one elbow, not quite able to meet his eyes just yet, not sure what he'll find there.

"Look, I know that us living on different continents is not the most ideal situation. But I was serious after your premiership win when I said that I wanted to make this work. I guess the question is, do you?"

"Of course I do. Never doubt that Caroline." Klaus tangles their fingers together, bringing their joined hands to his lips. "I love you, and I want to be with you for a very long time. And I will do whatever it takes to make that happen."

She meets his gentle gaze, smiling shyly at him, bending down to press a gentle kiss to his cheek.

"I'm glad. I know I shouldn't have been, but I was kinda scared about having that conversation with you. My last serious relationship was nothing like this. In fact, he was kind of a dick."

"You were younger then, and probably a lot less mature." Klaus points out. "What was his name?"

She raises an eyebrow at that, but chooses not to comment on his sudden question.

"Tyler Lockwood. We were kind of high school sweethearts, sickening in every sense of the word. Kol would've been horrified." She elaborates at Klaus' questioning look.

"What happened?" Klaus questions gently as she rests her head on his shoulder.

"He couldn't handle me training all the time. Ended up cheating on me with some other random girl he met at college. In retrospect I probably should have seen it coming. But it was still heartbreaking."

"The end of any relationship is always sad, no matter how serious or how long you've been together for." Klaus says wisely.

"You sound like you speak from experience." She quips lightly, nudging at him with her elbow.

She wasn't stupid enough to think that she was his first serious relationship. He was older, more experienced, and had probably been with plenty of beautiful women before the two of them had met.

And honestly, she was okay with that. It sort of came with the territory of being in the spotlight.

"Her name was Sophie. It was a mutual break up. And as corny as it sounds, we loved each other, but we weren't in love with each other. Not anymore. We'd met our last year of university, but weren't able to keep the spark going with both of us so busy."

"Do the two of you still keep in touch?"

Klaus' lips curl into a knowing smile.

"Sometimes. She's happily married now. Just had her first child last year."

A comfortable silence settles into the space between them, and she's content to listen to feel his heartbeat beneath her palm, content in the silent moments between each inhale and exhale.

"This week has been perfect." She whispers, not wanting to disturb the stillness of the moment.

Klaus makes a soft noise of agreement before leaning over, opening the top drawer of his nightstand before twisting back to face her.

She watches him open the black jewellery box, sucking in a breath as he dangles the silver necklace in front of her.

"I got this for you today. I thought you might like a reminder of your day in Rome."

She reaches out, gently touches the infinity sign dangling from the end of the necklace.

 _Eternal._

"Klaus, it's beautiful." She finally breathes out, turning her back on him, sweeping her hair to the side so he can clasp the necklace around her neck.

The symbol settles between her breasts, and she covers the necklace with her hand for a moment, smiling to herself.

Klaus props himself up against the headboard of their bed, and she leans back against his chest with a sigh.

"Thank you for this week, for today, for everything." She says softly, fingers playing with the necklace.

Klaus kisses her gently on the cheek.

"My pleasure sweetheart."

"You know, I'm finding it hard to imagine my life now without you being in it."

Klaus falls silent for only a moment, fingers tangling gently through her hair.

"Perhaps one day when the craziness is over we might have to do something about that."

She snuggles into his chest, squeezing her eyes shut.

She liked the sound of that.

* * *

 **AN: I dub this the chapter of fluff. I feel like my teeth are going to rot with how sweet this entire chapter is.**

 **But I'm okay with that, and I'm guessing you guys are okay with that since you still seem to be around.**

 **Slight angst coming up, consider yourselves warned. As always, hope you enjoyed, see you on the other side, and don't forget to review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, The Originals and Steroline would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be traveling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

"You and I have a lot to catch up on young lady." Her mother begins with a wide, yet somehow knowing grin.

For all her small stature and slenderness, Liz Forbes has always been one of the most imposing women that she knew. Perhaps the extra intimidation factor came with the territory of being her mother.

Caroline laughs softly, pulling her knit cardigan a little tighter around herself as she blows gently on her tea.

"It's good to see you mom. And I know, I've been a horrible daughter not checking in as often as I should." She replies with a shrug.

Her mom's stern expression softens as she smiles.

"Never horrible Caroline. And I know you've been busy. Why don't you tell me everything that's been going on? Don't leave anything out."

Well _that_ was a pretty clear directive if ever she's heard one.

So she settles in and starts from the beginning. She does a quick recap of her training, including a potential rival in the form of one Hayley Marshall back home.

She mentions Kol and Bonnie's wedding, watches her mothers face light up at the good news. Before Bonnie had moved to England, she'd been over Caroline's house more often than not, and she knew that her mom had just doted on Bonnie, really saw her as a second daughter.

And finally, finally, she takes a deep breath and tells her mom all about Klaus. It takes her a few minutes to realise that she's rambling, if the fond look on her mom's face is anything to go by.

"The two of you. Is it serious?" Her mom questions neutrally.

"Yeah it is mom. He's something special."

Her mom just smiles at her, and it's like the sun.

"Isn't it funny how things just fall into place sometimes? I can tell that you're happy, and that he makes you happy. How are the two of you going to make it work when you come back to the States?"

She runs a hand through her messy bed hair, considering her answer.

"Honestly I don't know. I mean, we've had the conversation, and I know that we both want to make it work. And I suppose the time difference isn't too horrible..." She trails off, unsure what else to say to make her mom feel better about the fact that her boyfriend will very soon be living on the opposite side of the world from her.

"Well I suppose that's why they invented Skype honey. If the two of you are committed to making it work then I'm sure it will. And you've never been one to shy away from a challenge. I would like to meet him, if possible. Even if it is over Skype."

She glances down at her phone, at the message that Klaus had sent her ten minutes ago telling her that he was on his way.

She'd had this Skype call arranged with her mother for a couple of days now, and had tentatively raised the idea of Klaus coming over to meet Liz Forbes courtesy of the internet. Klaus hadn't even hesitated before agreeing, perhaps sensing just how important it was to her that the two essential people in her life meet.

"Actually he's going to be here in a moment. He's looking forward to meeting you."

"Is he now?" Her mom replies with a raised eyebrow. "Well haven't you just thought of everything?"

She muffles her laugh in the sleeve of her cardigan as right on cue there's a gentle tapping on the door, Klaus poking his head around the opening.

"Can I come in?" He mouths silently as she waves him into the room, making room for him on the bed.

"Mom, this is Klaus. Klaus, this is my mom, Elizabeth Forbes."

"Sheriff Forbes. A pleasure to meet you at last." Klaus begins, the very picture of polite as he waits for her mom's response.

Her mom is silent for a long moment before letting the smile spread across her face.

"It's lovely to meet you as well Klaus. Liz is just fine. Caroline, can you give us a moment?"

She exchanges a glance with Klaus, who gives her the smallest of nods in assent of her mother's request.

"Go easy on him okay mom? I know how you get when it comes to boyfriends." She remarks lightly with a playful roll of the eyes.

Slapping Klaus once on the shoulder, she swings herself off the bed, taking her cup of tea with her as she closes the bedroom door shut gently.

Kol is in the living room, feet kicked up on the coffee table as he works his way through a pile of student assignments. He doesn't complain when she settles in next to him, jostling him lightly in the ribs, fighting for space.

"I thought you were talking to your mom?" Kol muses out loud, scribbling something in red pen at the end of an assignment.

"I was." She replies, taking a sip of her tea. "Klaus is having a chat to her now, considering it's the first time that the two of them have actually met."

Kol's eyes flick towards hers in surprise as hel laughs out loud.

"You think that's a good idea?"

She just shrugs.

"Time will tell I guess. My mom is a complete hard ass when it comes to my boyfriends, especially after what happened with the last one. I'm hoping Klaus can win her over, otherwise I don't know what I'm going to do."

"He'll be fine. Nik's always had a way with new people."

She's silent for a moment, sipping slowly at her tea again.

"And what about you? Everything ready on your end for the wedding?" She asks curiously, because although Bonnie had been planning bits and pieces in between shifts at the hospital, she had largely left most of the arrangements to Kol.

"If I never have to see another bunch of camellias in my life again, I'll be a happy man. But yes, all the arrangements are pretty much made. I picked up the rings yesterday, want to see?"

"Um yes?" She nudges him with a laugh. "Like that's even a serious question."

Kol rolls his eyes in her direction as he shifts his stack of papers to the side, before reaching into the side table and pulling out the box.

He hands it to her and she flips the catch back, two eye-catching platinum bands winking back at her from the velvet cushion.

There were no diamonds on Bonnie's which was surprising.

"She didn't want it to catch on anything while she was working." Kol guesses the direction of her thoughts before picking up his marking again.

"She's always been so pragmatic about that kind of stuff." She murmurs to herself before flipping the box shut and leaning past Kol to put it back into the drawer.

"And what about you and my brother? Have you discussed what will happen once you head back to the US?"

"Yeah a little. I mean, there's only so much we can say. We're not going to know how easy or hard it'll be until we're actually separated. It is going to be tough though, with him going back to training and me heading almost straight into trials."

"And how are you feeling about that? About your chances of making it onto the team?" Kol turns to face her, abandoning his marking in favour of giving her his full attention.

"Honestly? I have no idea about that. It's not that I don't doubt myself, but I won't know exactly how much of a threat Hayley is until I see her at practice or in competition."

Kol tilts his head in acknowledgement as they both fall silent.

"Caroline? Your mother wants to speak to you." Klaus materialises behind her, gentle hand dancing over her shoulder as she jumps at the sudden contact.

"Are you coming?" She asks over her shoulder as Klaus vaults over the back of the lounge, settling in next to his brother, who just lets out a sigh.

"I believe that she wanted to speak to you alone. I'm not going anywhere. I'll just be out here." Klaus reassures her with a smile as she makes her way back towards her bedroom.

Her mom is still sitting, waiting patiently for her as she settles onto the bed once more.

"Well?" She asks impatiently, waiting for her mother's response.

It would mean the world if the two of them actually got along.

"I like him Caroline. Hold onto him. It's easy to see just how much he loves you."

Well then.

* * *

"Almost ready?" She asks of Bonnie, who's simply staring at herself in the full length mirror.

She's fully attired, dress fitting perfectly as Rebekah had predicted, veil perched in her hair.

"Bon?" She asks again softly, running a hand down the fabric of her own blush pink dress, bouquet held in her other hand.

Finally, Bonnie's gaze finds hers, a soft smile on her face.

"Sorry. I was off in my own little world."

"Come back down to Earth." She tells her best friend with a gentle nudge. "We've gotta go and get you married or Kol will never let me hear the end of it. It's practically a part of my maid of honour duties."

Truthfully, her head was still a little fuzzy from the ridiculous amount of alcohol that she and Katherine, Bonnie and Rebekah had drunk at their impromptu hen's night last night.

They'd just stayed in the apartment, Kol vacating for the night in favour of going to stay with Klaus. It had been nice, having the four of them together just talking and laughing, not having to worry about getting hit on by sleazy guys out on the prowl for some sex.

"We can't have you failing in that." Bonnie replies with a laugh. "It's a shame Elena couldn't be here."

"Yeah she's really devastated that she couldn't get over here. Something about Jeremy going off the rails again?" She muses out loud as Bonnie frowns slightly.

"Poor kid. He never did deal well with his parents death. Hopefully things get better for him and Elena soon. But hey. This is your day. Just focus on it and enjoy it." She tells her best friend, trying to put Elena out of both of their minds.

Selfish, yes. But if it was going to help Bonnie focus, centre herself, and just let go and relax then she was all for it. Besides, Elena had already sent a ridiculously cute video message for Bonnie via DropBox.

"Okay. I'm ready." Bonnie announces with a deep breath in. "Bouquet?"

She hands her best friend the slightly bigger bunch of flowers, bending down to fiddle with the slight train on Bonnie's dress.

Their progress through the Mikaelson family home is met with mostly silence, the hallways empty save for a few staff members that Esther had hired to help out with the big day.

True to her word, Esther had opened up the Mikaelson gardens for her son's wedding, and she was eager to see them, having not had the chance when she'd been out here for dinner with Klaus a few weeks ago.

After a short walk down the stairs they're emerging, blinking the sunlight out of their eyes as they follow the signs down the hill to where the tall hedges mark the entrance to the gardens.

Her feet crunch on the pebbled path as she struggles to keep her footing, teetering slightly in the heels that she'd chosen for herself. It could've been worse, the block heel saving her from falling completley flat on her face.

They pause before the opening between two hedges as she turns to face Bonnie, who looks positively radiant as her gaze looks past her to where Kol is no doubt waiting just around the corner.

"I'm glad that I could be here for this Bon. Thank you for letting me share this day with you."

Bonnie leans over, squeezing her hand once before getting go.

"Thanks for agreeing to share it with me. I'd rather have no one else with me for this."

With a quick grin she turns and straightens, squaring her shoulders as she slips between the hedges, feet picking out a steady progress on the smoother path.

The melody that the string quartet are playing changes slightly, and she can't help the smile spreading across her face as she witnesses Kol standing on his tiptoes at the end of the aisle, trying his very hardest to get a glimpse of Bonnie in her dress.

Almost unbidden, her eyes move from Kol to Klaus, standing next to his brother with his hands clasped in front of him, a serious expression on his face as he tries to fade into the background.

Their eyes meet in a single breathtaking moment, and she smiles to herself as his gaze softens, expression transforming as he gives her a gentle, heart stopping smile.

Squinting against the sunlight, Klaus gives her a lazy once-over, a quick wink as the rest of the crowd refocuses their attention to Bonnie, allowing her to slip into place to the other side of Kol almost unnoticed.

She can't help but glance back at her best friend with a happy smile, noting how radiant and at ease Bonnie seems with the attention of the small number of guests fixated upon her.

From the very beginning, Kol and Bonnie had wanted something low key and intimate, with only the closest of friends and family.

Bonnie glides to a halt to the side of Kol, handing off her bouquet to her with a shy smile. She takes the flowers, transferring them into the crook of her arm as she meets eyes with Klaus again.

 _Beautiful._ He mouths, and she tries to hide her blush in vain.

With one last pause for breath, the minister begins.

"Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today…."

* * *

A few hours later she watches Kol and Bonnie twirl under a sky of fairy lights and soft gauze, looking totally and completely in love.

She props her elbow up on the table in front of her, taking a long sip from her champagne and doing her best not to think about just how soon she'd be leaving all of this.

"Penny for your thoughts, sweetheart?" Klaus slides into the seat next to her, the softest brush of lips against her temple as he takes her hand in his.

"Trying not to think too much about what's coming." She tells him honestly with a twisted smile. "And trying to enjoy tonight."

"Stop thinking." Klaus murmurs in her ear, tucking some errant curls away. "Whatever happens, whatever comes next, we'll deal with it. Now come and dance with me before I have to carry you over my shoulder."

"Well how can I resist such a request?" She laughs, draining the rest of her champagne glass and letting Klaus pull her to her feet.

Klaus weaves his way through the couples before settling on a vacant spot on the floor, twirling her around before pulling her in close to his body. She goes willingly, hand placed in his, other wrapped around his waist, head resting against his chest.

John Mayer melts seamlessly into a beautiful Ed Sheeran song, and it's easy, so easy to just sway back and forth with Klaus, not having to say anything, because she's very quickly discovering that they don't always need words to communicate how they're feeling.

And that was the best thing about loving him.

* * *

The drive to the airport is mostly silent, and she does her best to commit the green landscape around her to memory as Klaus winds around the edge of London to get to Heathrow in time for her flight.

She'd already said goodbye to Kol and Bonnie the week before when they'd left for their honeymoon in the Maldives, and had made sure to spend plenty of time with Katherine and Rebekah before she left.

All the same, the weight of her sadness sits heavy in her chest, a lump in her throat as she swallows back her tears.

As if he'd guessed the direction of her thoughts, Klaus takes her hand as he continues to drive, swiping his thumb over the back of it reassuringly.

"It's okay to be sad Caroline." His voice rumbles low in his chest as he keeps his eyes on the road, swallowing audibly.

She rests her temple against the cool glass, eyes straining for one last glimpse of the iconic London skyline.

It was impossible to describe how she was feeling. She'd built a life for herself here, filled with friendship and laughter and a love she'd never imagined. She never thought that it would be this strange, this difficult to leave and slot back into the life waiting for her at home.

But she's a different person now.

The rest of the drive passes uneventfully, Klaus weaving occasionally through traffic when things banked up, got too slow. All too soon he's pulling into parking at Heathrow, popping the trunk to get her suitcase.

She'd spent the past week shipping most of her stuff back home to Huntsville, Texas, so the suitcase that Klaus sets on the ground for her is as light as a feather.

"Come on then, love." Klaus holds out a hand for her, locking the car behind them as he swings her duffel bag over his shoulder with ease.

She can't help but run the back of her hand over his day old stubble, coaxing a ghost of a smile from him as he wraps an arm around her shoulders, guiding her gently towards the terminal so she can check in.

He stays with her the whole time in line, not saying much except to bury his lips in her hair every so often as they inch closer towards the check in desk. She's flying business, something that Klaus and his siblings had insisted on, pooling their considerable incomes to spring for an upgrade for her.

As Elijah had put it, they absolutely would not have her crammed in the back for that long a flight. A little over the top perhaps, but she'd appreciated the gesture all the same.

Once she's got her ticket in hand and her bag is on the way down into the bowels of Heathrow, Klaus tugs her over to the lounges scattered about the departures hall. There' s not much time before she has to make her way through security and to her gate for boarding, so she tries to savour this, the smell of him, the feeling of him under her fingertips as she presses her lips urgently to his.

"How are we going to do this?" She whispers into the space between them as Klaus tugs gently on her hair in admonishment.

"Well there's Skype and email, and text." Klaus begins, lining up his palms with hers absentmindedly, hands held between their body. "And my promise, that I will always make time for you, no matter how crazy the hours get between us."

She can't help but melt into him after hearing his words, because that's what she'd been most afraid of. That their relationship would die with a whisper, the tragic circumstance of them both letting it fall by the wayside.

So the fact that he's onboard with this is reassuring, and makes her smile.

"Good luck." She tells him, going up on her tip toes to press a gentle kiss to his cheek, stubble scratching against her lips. "If all goes well I'll be seeing you in Olympic Village."

"Count on it sweetheart. I've got some extra motivation after all." Klaus replies, lips curling into a smile as he pulls her towards him, pulls her into his body.

She goes willingly, arms wrapping around his waist as she buries her face into his chest. It's a quiet moment, a peaceful one as the world continues to turn around them, people rushing to catch their flights, paying no mind to the couple saying their farewells just before the departure tunnel.

"Man do I feel like the worst person in the world." A voice sounds from somewhere to the left of them as she and Klaus break apart.

Enzo is standing a short distance away, hands stuffed sheepishly into his pockets as he rocks back and forth on his toes.

"You see we went through this ridiculous journey together, and I wasn't satisfied with just saying goodbye to you yesterday. I hope you don't mind?"

"Not at all Enzo." She replies as she pulls him into a quick hug, Klaus making a soft noise of agreement.

Because Enzo was right. From the very start, before she'd even met Klaus, Enzo had been there for her. He'd seen her at her best, and he'd seen her at her most dejected, most disheartened, most hopeless.

And yet he'd stuck by her, always encouraging, never pushing too hard. Standing up for her when Isobel got too intense.

She is forever grateful, that she was in his hands for her recovery, that Alaric had sent her winging halfway across the world to flourish under his guidance and encouragement.

And it's easy, so easy to see why Klaus bounced back so quickly from his knee injury, given that he was working with Enzo.

Enzo wraps his arms around her waist, squeezing tightly before stepping back, letting her go.

"I'm counting on you Caroline. I've done everything that I can for you. The rest is up to you. But on another note, thank you for bringing meaning back into my work. I haven't had a case like yours for quite some time. It's nice to see a positive outcome. You'll tell me right away what happens with Trials?" He questions with a nudge.

"You'll be the first to know. After Klaus, and my mom. So maybe third." She teases him as he rolls his eyes in bemusement.

"As long as I find out from you and not someone else, I'll be a happy man." He promises her, taking her hands in his and squeezing gently. "Good luck."

He's surprised then, when she sweeps up onto her toes, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek.

"Thank you. For everything. I don't think I could have done this without you." She tells him sincerely as he rubs the back of his neck with a somewhat modest smile.

"Goodbye Caroline. I'll be seeing you." He states confidently, pulling her into one last hug before turning to Klaus.

"I can give you a lift back into London, if you came here on the Tube." Klaus beats Enzo to it before he can even ask the question, Enzo letting out a startled bark of laughter.

"I'll leave the two of you alone. Text me when you're ready?" He asks of Klaus, who just nods once in assent as Enzo lifts a hand in farewell, melting away into the crowd.

She squints up at the indicator board, her flight moving up in the queue as she glances down at her watch with a sigh.

"I should probably get moving, as much as I hate to say it. I don't want to miss my flight."

Klaus sets her duffel bag down at her feet, eyes moving towards the board as if to confirm her statement.

"Would it really be the worst thing in the world?" He asks playfully, a raised eyebrow as she laughs.

"Not for me, maybe, but Alaric would probably murder you if I didn't get back in time for Trials."

Klaus concedes her point with a nod.

"Well I suppose we can't have that happening, can we sweetheart?" He asks of her, giving her a gentle kiss that has her wishing for more.

It's her that deepens the kiss, hands curled in the front of his shirt as Klaus sweeps her up into his arms with a smile.

"I wish that you didn't have to go. But I'm not selfish enough to ask you to stay. Do your best, and I'll see you in the Village in a month or so." He remarks lightly, a determined set to his face as he finally sets her back down on the ground.

"I'll be there. You better be as well." She replies mildly.

Bending down to pick up her duffel bag, she's pulled once more into the circle of Klaus' arms as he buries his face into her neck.

"Good luck." He says softly. "And I love you. Message me when you land?"

She just nods as a way of reply, finally forcing herself to break away from him, glancing back at him over her shoulder only once before striding determinedly into the departure tunnel, powerless to stop the tears slipping silently down her face.

She'd landed in London all that time ago with a broken body and an extinguished spirit. There was so much uncertainty there, about her ability, about her future in the sport, if she would even compete competitively again.

Now, as the plane lifts off with a lurch and she turns her eyes to the sky, she feels fresh, born again, and ready to take on the world.

Because Caroline Forbes was back, and she'd be damned if she wasn't going to miss out on her chance to represent her country in the greatest sporting event of their time.

The Olympic Games.

* * *

 **AN:**

 **So I would say that this is probably the conclusion of Part II of this story. Never fear, there's plenty more to come as Klaus and Caroline learn to live apart while trying to maintain a long distance relationship.**

 **Next chapter will see Caroline back home fighting for her chance to stay on the team, and a run in with someone from her past as she struggles to adapt to her old life back home. '**

 **Thank you to all those who show this one some love by reading and reviewing- each comment means the world to me, and I hope you're not to sick of this story just yet!**

 **See you on the other side, and don't forget to review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, The Originals and Steroline would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

It's odd, just how at home she feels from the moment she sets foot through the doors of the Karolyi Ranch training centre, a home base to some of the most elite young gymnasts in the whole of the United States of America.

The sounds are familiar. Lilting classical music playing over the speaker system as someone practices their routine on the blue sprung floor. The squeaking of the uneven bars as they bend and bow beneath the gymnast currently twirling around them. The loud slam as someone sticks a landing from the vault.

And of course, the loud squeal of Elena Gilbert, one of her oldest friends is something that has never really gone away.

Before she even has time to drop her gym bag she's got an arm full of her best friend, long brown hair tickling at her cheek as Elena practically bowls her over.

She's soon joined by Vicki Donovan and April Thomas, the other two members of the team that she'd helped clinch the gold for in London 2012.

The captain of _that_ particular team had retired, moving back home to Tennessee so that she could go to college and pursue a career in Law. It was something she was considering for herself, the whole college thing. She's still trying to decide what she'd do though, whether she'd go down the physiotherapy route or she'd waste her student debt on something random and obscure, just because she was young and she could.

"I can't believe you're here!" Elena chatters excitedly, pulling back from her, allowing April and Vicki to move forward and embrace her. "Like we all knew that you were coming back, but it seems a bit surreal that you're finally here. It's been so long. How are you? How's the knee? Bonnie's wedding looked absolutely amazing, I'm _so_ sorry that I couldn't be there." Elena continues, eyes flicking down towards her tracksuit clad legs, as if she's hoping that she'll find the answer there about her knee. .

"Come on ladies, give Caroline a little space to breathe." A familiar voice echoes from somewhere to the left of them.

She turns, a wide grin for Ric as he pulls her into a brief hug.

"Welcome back kiddo. Let's go and have a quick chat before you get back into it."

She allows him to steer her away from the three girls, making sure to throw a reassuring smile over her shoulder at them as Ric moves her towards his office.

The other girls disperse, Vicki moving back towards the beam, Elena to vault, April to bars. They all specialise in their own apparatuses, which took a lot of pressure off each other when it came to actually competing.

They could all perform to the highest standards on all four of the apparatuses, but it certainly took a lot of pressure off her when she went to perform on beam, knowing that she had Vicki to bump up the team score if something went wrong with her routine or if she fell.

Alaric ushers her into his office, moving a stack of paperwork off the chair before gesturing for her to take a seat. He sits on the other side of the desk in his ever present leather chair, regarding her thoughtfully for a long moment.

"You're looking well. Are you feeling well?" He asks quietly, not sure how far or hard he should push her.

"I am." She confirms with a soft smile, Ric looking pleased with himself. "Sending me to the UK was probably the best decision you made for me. Thankyou." She remembers to add, because really, she owed everything to him. He was the one who fought so hard for her.

"You've got a lot of work to do kiddo. Hayley Marshall has been busting her arse off. Long hours, here every day. I don't know if she just hates you and wants to take your spot out of spite, or if she really just wants to make it on the team. Either way, you've got a challenge on your hands."

She shrugs, trying not to let it show just how much this has thrown her. She appreciates Ric telling her about Hayley, she really does, but sometimes over in London when she was training with Isobel and Enzo she wondered if maybe she was better of not knowing.

"I do like a good challenge." She replies, doing her best to sound nonchalant.

Ric just smiles knowingly, aware as always of every gentle nuance to her mood.

"I thought you'd say that. Know that I'm not supposed to play favourites, but I'll do whatever it takes to help you secure a spot on that team. Most of it is of course, is down to you and your performance, but I'm happy to do extra training if you feel like you need it."

"Thank you." She tells him gratefully, glad that at least one member of the coaching team is seemingly in her corner. "It's very much appreciated."

"How's the boyfriend?" Alaric asks suddenly, as they push their way out of the office back into the brightly lit gymnasium.

"Good as far as I know." She replies with a smile. "I haven't spoken to him since I landed the other day. Wanted to reacclimatise myself with good ol Texas." She drawls, exaggerating her accent as she drops her bag and toes off her sneakers.

"Yes probably a different world entirely after the upscale glamor of London." Alaric replies dryly, waiting until she strips down to her leotard.

She pauses for a moment, teetering on tip toes as she looks at Alaric, giving him a curt nod.

"Let's begin."

Alaric starts her out on floor, her specialty apparatus. Slightly different to the pure technique and guts required to conquer the beam, the floor was another beast entirely.

It required the strength to launch your body into impossible tumbling lines, the explosive power to rotate your body through the air, the grace to carry out the rhythmic elements, the turns and leaps, and the stamina to make it through what is arguably the toughest 90 seconds of the meet.

She trains until there's sweat dripping down her body, until the same piece of classical music that she's picked for her routine for trials is burnt into every corner of her brain. She thinks that she could possibly do it in her sleep if she was held at gunpoint.

She moves around the other three apparatuses when they're free, working on the routines that she'd perfected when she was in London with Isobel. For the first time in her career she'd actually had a hand in choreographing her routine rather than Isobel or even Alaric laying them out for her.

April stops her own practice to help her through a particularly tricky combo on the uneven bars that she'd been having trouble with. The other girl stays to confer with Alaric as she throws herself back onto the uneven bars, using her upper body strength to twist and turn between the two bars.

When she dismounts April slings an arm around her shoulders with a smile.

"Nailed it. Good job girl. Somebody's been practicing. However did you find the time with that delectable boyfriend of yours?"

She just laughs, running a hand through her hair, leaning into April's body with a grin. That's what she loved about these girls, this team. Even though they were all training their guts out to make it onto one of the four coveted spots on the Olympic team, they were still willing to help each other out.

It was in stark contrast to Hayley Marshall, who was working one on one with Isobel on the beam.

"He's an elite athlete as well. He gets it." She lifts one shoulder into a shrug as Alaric pats her on the back, looking down at her with a proud smile.

"You look happy. If he's a contributing factor to that, I think I already like him. It would be hard not to, with a face like that." April gives her a playful wink.

Alaric pats her on the back, looking down at her with a proud smile. And that's all that she's ever wanted. Not only to make herself proud, but to make Ric proud as well.

He's the coach that believed in her when no one else did, who talked her back from the metaphorical ledge she'd found herself on when she'd seriously considered throwing in the towel and quitting gymnastics for good, trading in the crazy training schedule and the insane diet for a normal life.

"Welcome back kiddo. It's good to have you here with us."

* * *

"Well, look who it is. And here I was thinking that you'd never bounce back from that horrible injury."

She just sighs to herself, continuing to pack her gear into her bag, preparing for the short drive back to her apartment in town. She actually couldn't wait to have a long soak in the bath with a cup of tea and a trashy magazine, maybe facetime Klaus or Kol or Rebekah if she didn't fall asleep first.

Which at this point, was probably far more likely.

If she was being honest with herself, she knew that she was going to come face to face with Hayley Marshall sooner rather than later. They trained at the same gymnasium, were vying ofr a spot on the same Olympic team. The coaching team had pretty much all but admitted to pitting them against each other, something that she was super unimpressed about.

Team USA had never been about bitchiness and petty rivalry. Even if she did make the team, she knew that the whole process leading up to it would kind of take the shine off things a little, something which made her sad.

"I had a good physio." Is all she chooses to say in reply, glancing around the now empty gym. Whatever battle was about to take place, it looked like she'd have to do this one alone.

"So I heard." Haley shifts her weight from one foot to another. "In fact, I'm still trying to understand why on earth Team USA would spend so much money to send you halfway across the world. I mean, from what I can gather, you didn't seem to do a lot of training."

She straightens to her full height, looking down her nose at Hayley.

To be honest, she was kind of surprised by Hayley Marshall. The girl was small with a slight build, like most gymnasts who competed at an elite level. She'd never met Hayley before now, but she'd built up this imposing, intimidating figure in her head that came nowhere close to the real thing.

That was enough to make her smile.

"And yet, here you are, still trying to psych me out. I would be intimidated, but kind of an amateur move, don't you think?" She replies with a single brow raise, zipping her bag shut and turning to face Hayley.

Hayley screws her face up into something approximating a sneer.

"You're done, Forbes. You're old. Why don't you just save us all the trouble and step aside now. You know it, I know it. Everyone else knows it. You're nothing but a liability. And an embarrassment."

"And yet, it would seem that you're afraid to go up against me in competition, considering you have yet to match my scores in a meet." She shoots back towards Hayley, who just scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest.

"While you were overseas prancing around with your footballer boyfriend- and that's a whole other can of worms that I'd just love to explore- I was competing in meets with the rest of your team. It's called building rapport. Preparing for the biggest competition of our lives."

It's her turn to laugh now, and she takes great pleasure when she realises that it's genuine.

"Building rapport. Is that what you call it? More like you were pissing them off with every divaish antic you pulled. And I heard that there were a lot."

Hayley flinches, and she knows that she's scored a point. A part of her feels awful for rising to Hayley's bait, but this girl was really getting on her nerves, and she relished the chance to be a bitch for once in her life.

She takes a step closer to Hayley, getting up in her personal space.

"What you think that they didn't keep me in the loop while I was over in London? That they didn't tell me exactly what you were up to, how you were going? Obviously you were keeping tabs on me, if the mention of my boyfriend was anything to go by. I'd be flattered, but I'm mostly creeped out."

She teaks a breath, cutting off Hayley before the other girl can even make a move to speak.

"Look, I don't know who put you up to these high school mind games, but know this. They aren't going to work on me, no matter how hard you push, or how persistent you are. Got it?"

Hayley is struck dumb, perhaps not expecting her to clap back as much as she has.

The echoing of a door opening at the entrance to the gymnasium has them both turning, and this time it's her turn to suck a breath in as the ghost of her past strides across the gymnasium towards them.

Tyler Lockwood had been her first serious relationship, and she thought, naively, that he would be her last.

They'd dated through high school and a bit into college before he got too tired of her sporting commitments. Rather than maturely ending the relationship like the two adults that they were, he instead decided to cheat on her with some random girl in one of his classes.

He'd dumped her by text just before a big meet, and she'd completely flunked out as a result. She'd found out later about the cheating.

He looks exactly the same as she remembers, the sharp cheekbones, the dark hair and eyes, the slightly muscled build that he had as a result of football.

It's almost like no time had passed at all.

Tyler watches her carefully as he leans over and presses a quick kiss to Hayley's cheek.

"Hey babe. You all done?" He asks, twirling his car keys around his finger. "Caroline." He offers with a curt nod towards her.

"Tyler." She finally replies, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "How surprising to see you here of all places. Have the two of you been together for very long?" She asks politely, trying to block out Hayley as best as she can.

"About a year." Hayley chimes in, draping herself around Tyler's body in a way that makes her feel a little uncomfortable. "The two of you know each other?" She asks, feigning surprise.

"Oh we go way back. Now if you'll excuse me, there's somewhere that I need to be. Stay in your lane Hayley, and I'll stay in mine."

"Whatever." Hayley mutters under her breath.

"Whatever you do, no matter how hard you work, bring whatever you have, whatever you think you can beat with me to the floor. Then we'll see who the best is."

And with that, she turns on her heel, not bothering to look back at either of them.

Nobody has to know just how shaken she is by Tyler's reappearance.

* * *

She's curled up in her apartment in Huntsville when her laptop chimes with a notification of Klaus' skype call.

Eagerly, she leans forward, one hand gripping her cup of tea carefully as she accepts the call, watching as the window pops up onto her screen, filling it with Klaus' handsome face.

He's wearing a beaming smile and looks ridiculously happy. She can't help but lean forward and take a closer look at the jersey that he's wearing, because it definitely is not the match one that he usually plays in.

"Hello sweetheart." Klaus begins. "I have news."

She leans back slightly, putting two and two together very quickly even as he gives her a quick smile.

"Thats not your match jersey. Or your away jersey." She narrows her eyes at the screen, even as Klaus struggles to contain the happy smile creeping across his face.

"No it's not. It's my Olympic Jersey. Found out just this morning that I made the cut."

She squeals, clapping her hands together as he stands to give her a better view.

"You made it onto the squad? That's amazing news, congratulations! Tell me everything." She demands, even as he bites back his laughter.

He spins a compelling tale about the trials and tribulations of getting back into a strict training regime after enjoying some time off, about how strenuous the week was, how intense the trials were.

"They made me Captain." He reveals with a sheepish smile as she wraps her arms around her middle.

"What did I tell you?" She remarks with a smile of her own. "I'm sure you owned the trials. It's not like they were going to turn down the Captain who helped his team to win the Premiership this season."

"They might have, if they were feeling particularly vindictive." Klaus points out. "What about you love? How are things in Texas? You know when Kol first told me that you were from America, I never imagined it would be Texas."

"Hey, I wasn't born and raised in Texas thanks. I'm here out of necessity. It's where the training camps are, as you well know."

"I know." Klaus agrees with another cheeky smile. "But don't dodge the question sweetheart. How are you doing? Honestly."

"It's weirder than I thought it would be. I mean, it feels like home stepping back into that gym. Everything is so familiar, right down to the smell, as strange as that sounds. But something is different."

"You spent the better part of a year over here in London. I imagine it would take some time for you to adjust to a place that you've been away from for a long time. And your training?"

"Easy tiger. I only went back today. It was fine. Good. I felt strong and in control."

"Good." Klaus remarks softly with a proud smile. "I knew you'd be able to kill it."

"I had a run in with Hayley Marshall this afternoon though. It was… interesting."

Klaus sits back into his desk chair, crossing his arms over his chest as settles in to listen.

She stares down at her hands as she considers her next words.

"She was trying to purposefully rattle me, put me off giving it my all to make it onto the squad. Not entirely unexpected if not a little juvenile." She begins in a low voice as Klaus makes a soft noise of agreement.

"And then my ex boyfriend walked into the gym. Of all the people in the world."

Klaus raises an eyebrow at that, taking in the stricken look on her face.

"Tyler. That ex boyfriend? The idiot who cheated on you all those years ago."

"Yep. It would seem that impossibly, he and Hayley are now an item. How that happened I have no idea. But it got to me, Klaus."

Klaus leans forward so his face fills the screen.

"Got to you in what way?" He asks gently, tone in no way accusatory. For that, she is completely and utterly grateful.

"Not in a 'I miss him and want him back way'." She clarifies with a shy smile towards Klaus. "I love you. Only you."

She pauses, taking a breath to collect her thoughts.

"But I knew him for so long, and a part of me wonders what he sees in her, how he could even date her. She's absolutely awful."

Klaus shrugs at that.

"I know it's probably not what you want to hear sweetheart, given how long the two of you were friends for before you started dating, but sometimes awful people gravitate towards each other. They recognise a part of themselves in that other person, and the relationship is made easier as a result."

"I just never thought I'd have to see him again. Especially not in a place where I feel comfortable, feel safe. God, everything is so different now. There's so much more politics that weren't there when I left."

Klaus gives her a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry that things aren't as good for you as they once were. But know that I have great faith in you, no matter what happens at trials next week."

"Don't be too alarmed if I drop off the radar for the next few days. As much as I love seeing your handsome face, I do need to focus and build up my energy."

"Sweetheart, you know I understand. Of course I won't think anything of it. But no matter what happens, no matter the result, I still want to know how you go. Do you promise to tell me?"

She can't help but stop the smile from spreading across her face, wondering how she got so goddamn lucky to have someone like Klaus in her life.

"I promise."

* * *

 **AN: Sorry for the long wait on this one guys. I had a lot of weddings to celebrate with friends and fam, I wrote off my car, and it's generally just been an eventful few weeks.**

 **Just a little filler before I kick off the Trials next chapter, and we find out whether or not Caroline will be joining Klaus at The Olympics.**

 **Thanks for sticking around, see you on the other side, and don't forget to review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, The Originals and Steroline would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

The Olympic Trials are arguably one of the hardest, if not the hardest set of events that athletes have to go through in order to consider themselves Olympians.

The very motto of the Olympics defines the trials. Citius, Altius, Fortius. _Faster, Higher, Stronger._

Often rumoured to be harder than the Olympic competition itself, the Trials are designed to test not only the athletes ability, but how well they cope under the pressure of such an environment. Trials are a veritable crucible, a trial by fire, and something that she was definitely not looking forward to, even though this was the very moment that she'd been working towards ever since she touched down in England all those months ago, and her life changed forever.

In previous years, trials for the USA Women's Artistic Gymnastic Team used to be a closed event, with only instructors, coaches, and gymnasts allowed in the arena space. That soon changed with the transition of the coaching team, with the head coach opening up the arena to friends and family.

The Trials went from a private, closed event, to an open competition for the five spots on the team. She well remembers the pressure put on her during the Trials for London, remembers her mother watching with bated breath as she waited to find out if she was through or if she'd have to come back and try again in four years.

Designed to simulate a real competition environment, the Trials were now ten times harder than they had been previously.

Her mom is by her side as they walk through the doors to the arena, and she can't help but be surprised by the number of people in the grandstands that circle the arena.

"It seems that people have heard about the rivalry between you and Hayley Marshall." Her mom fills her in, lip curling in distaste at the mention of the other girl. "They all want to see who will come out on top."

She says nothing in reply to this, simply squaring her shoulders and sucking in a breath of air. Alaric spots her, makes his way over to her as he exchanges greetings with Liz Forbes.

"Ready kiddo? This is your moment, remember." He tells her, placing a friendly hand on her shoulder and squeezing gently.

"Good luck darling." Her mom pauses to press a gentle kiss to her cheek, hand reaching up to fix her hairsprayed bun for a second or two. "You'll be fine."

Her mom nods to Alaric before moving off towards the grandstand to take a seat.

She turns to Alaric with a sigh.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"That's what I like to hear." Alaric replies with a grin. "Before we begin warming up though, I think you'd better go and greet your admirers. It seems that you've managed to pull in a veritable cheer squad Forbes. You must have made some friends in high places in the UK." Alaric laughs before clapping her on the shoulder once more, leaving her alone.

She squints towards the stands, eyes sweeping over familiar and unfamiliar faces of friends and families of Elena, Vicki, and April before her eyes land on the striking figure that would be familiar to her anywhere.

Katherine Pierce arches a single eyebrow towards her, dressed as elegantly as ever in sky high heels.

Beside her is Rebekah and Kol, both of who flash her a gigantic thumbs up, matching grins on their genetically blessed faces. They look sleepy and jet lagged as well, but ultimately happy to be here.

Supporting her.

She's helpless to stop the smile from creeping across her face as she takes off at a brisk walk towards them, jumping up the steps to where they're sitting, immediately being enveloped into a tight hug by Rebekah.

"What on Earth are you guys doing here?" She asks, still stunned by their appearance in this environment.

"Kol skyped your mother." Rebekah explains patiently as Kol elbows her mother with a grin. Liz Forbes rolls her eyes fondly, but she can see that her mother is charmed by Kol.

"And we checked that you would be okay with us here cheering you on, once we found out that Trials were open to friends and family. I know some athletes prefer to block that sort of stuff out, and we weren't sure what type you would be." Rebekah continues telling the story as Katherine stretches out in her seat, lean and languid.

"And I told them that you would be glad to have the support." Her mom interjects, leaning forward slightly with a smile. "Besides, it gave me the perfect opportunity to meet your friends.

"Klaus couldn't be here, but told us to send you his love and his best wishes for today. When will you find out you've made it into the team?" Rebekah says, and she can't help but admire the girl's conviction, that without a shadow of a doubt she'll make it through his and come out the other end victorious.

"Sometime this afternoon I suppose." She replies with a shrug, because that was exactly what had happened last time.

Designed to simulate an actual competition, they would know just how well they scored as they progressed through each of the four apparatus, and they would know just how well everybody else was scoring as well.

It was a cruel kind of torture, but that was exactly what you would expect in a real competition. She'd come from behind in the London trials, she just hoped that she wouldn't have to in these ones as well.

"Good luck darling." Kol leans forward pressing a quick kiss to her cheeks.

"Forbes, get your arse over here!" Alaric yells from the other side of the gym.

She lifts a hand towards her group, a warm smile crossing her face as she rolls her shoulders.

"Wish me luck?" She asks of them as a whole.

It's Rebekah that answers.

"You don't need it. You've got this Forbes."

* * *

The beam had always been her least favourite apparatus. Designed to test even the most mentally fit competitiors, one fall from the beam was enough to shatter your confidence on a permanent basis.

She'd broken her collarbone when she'd just been starting out in elite competitions, had put her out of contention for a good couple of months while she'd recovered and had gone through physio.

Ever since then she'd performed her routines with a healthy amount of respect for the apparatus, and not without a small dose of fear. Despite the constant training with Alaric, she never could get over that fear, and approached the beam with some hesitation.

And it showed in her routines. Although high scoring, they weren't as technically complex as some of the other girls in her team, and it tended to show in competition. She never pretended to be a specialist, but this could very well be the apparatus that makes or breaks her.

And of course, Hayley Marshall loved beam.

The other girl did her routine first, making it look absolutely effortless. She didn't have to examine the girl's movements too closely, she knew that she'd get a high score for this, and another beam specialist for Team USA would be a huge point in her favour when it came to final selections.

She's drawn the last slot for this particular apparatus, so she has to sit and wait impatiently as the other girl's do their routine as well.

It's also a slight advantage in her favour, because she also has time to catalogue everybody's strengths and weaknesses.

Hayley Marshall's overconfidence may very well be her downfall.

When Alaric nods towards her, she straightens, having already spent the past few minutes stretching with Elena, trying to keep herself loose and limber so that her body could cope with the demanding movements that she was about to put it through.

Her initial mount onto the beam was probably one of the harder ones she'd done, but she couldn't not pull out the stops on this routine.

When she's steady she takes a moment to gather her breath, because she only has the next ninety seconds to make it count.

And so she begins.

It's not as bad as she thought it would be, and she doesn't falter as she completes her combination tumbling line, arching her back gracefully, toe pointed towards the other end of the beam.

She hears Elena and Vicki clap quietly, clearly impressed. But she's long since learnt to block her surrounds out on moments like this.

She knows that she's nailed it when she dismounts, sticking her landing perfectly and finishing with the customary salute, gentle smile in place on her face.

Alaric pats her on the back when she returns to her seat, flashing her a quick thumbs up.

"Nice one Forbes." He murmurs as they both wait for her score to flash up on the screen.

The scoring system had changed in recent times, and it was no longer possible to score a perfect 10 on any apparatus, as Nadia Comaneci had at the Montreal Games of 76 when she was just 14 years old.

All the same, she can't help but scowl in displeasure when her score flashes up on the screen, and judging by the low murmurs of some of the other girls, they're just as surprised as she is at how low it is.

Alaric stands with his arms crossed over his chest, face thunderous as he stares down the panel of judges with a heavy glare.

"That's bullshit Caroline." April mutters under her breath at her as Alaric nods once in agreement, the only sign that he's in her corner and willing to back her. "That routine was near flawless."

"A few stylistic elements just missed the mark, but you shouldn't have got docked that much." Elena stretches her arms over her head, coming to stand next to her.

"I was worried that this would happen." Alaric says in a low voice towards her. "They're essentially going to turn this into a two horse race. You and Hayley, fighting it out to the last apparatus."

She rolls her neck, shifting her muscles as she stretches her arms over her head.

"Fine. If that's the way that it's going to be."

* * *

Similar to the floor, the uneven bars required a high level of strength and technique. Like the beam, the bars also tended to trip up a lot of gymnasts, purely because of how deceptively simple the apparatus seemed.

She'd trained for years, progressing upwards through the various grades and levels of American gymnastics, before she truly felt like she'd mastered the apparatus.

And even on bad days, she still has her moments.

Because she went last, this time it's her turn to go first. It's a slight advantage over everyone else. The bars aren't covered in the chalk of countless gymnasts, and as she straps on her grips, giving them an experimental tug, casts her eyes over the apparatus, wondering how tightly it's wound, how much give it would bring.

That was the disadvantage, not knowing how much power to put into the movements.

She spares a glance towards the stands, where Rebekah, Kol, Katherine and her mom are all leaning forward in anticipation, watching her carefully, not wanting to distract her too much.

She gives a curt nod in their direction, wishing more than anything that Klaus was there with them to support her through this.

She breathes in and out slowly, trying to centre herself while the judges whisper among themselves before signalling for her to proceed.

As always, she starts her routine with the customary salute, Alaric standing by with a springboard so she can begin with her mount.

Similar to the beam, mounts come in varying degrees of difficulty. The more difficult the mount, the more likely you are to begin with a high base score. It also leaves a certain impression, can intimidate other competitors, and that's exactly what she wants to do.

She knows that Elena, Vicki and April are going to be pretty much unflappable no matter what she does. They're all consummate professionals, veterans of the sport, and it takes more than a few mind games to intimidate them.

But someone new like Hayley… that could be another story entirely.

She allows herself a small smile when she completes the first half of her routine, because everything is going exactly as it should. Muscle memory has long ingrained this particular routine into her, and it's almost in a trance like state that she finishes the last few transfers and spins, dismounting knowing that unlike the beam, this one she has actually nailed.

It would seem that the judging panel finally pull their heads out of their arses, because they agree with her, Ric making a soft noise of agreement under his breath as applause rings out around the stadium, Kol standing up to give her a particularly ear piercing wolf whistle as they display her score up on the screen.

Once she's off the mats she lifts a hand in acknowledgement towards Kol, helpless to stop the smile from spreading across her face, putting one hand to her mouth to stop the laughter threatening to bubble over.

For years her mom had been the only person to come and watch her at meets, and honestly she was okay with that, tried not to be jealous over the veritable cheer squad of family and friends that other competitors used to bring along wit them.

It was nice sometimes, to have a cheer squad of her own.

She has some time to kill while the other girls go through their routines, plugs in her iPod and settles back to listen to her usual playlist, the one that keeps her wired up during competitions, imbuing her with _just_ the right amount of adrenaline to keep going, but not enough to tip her over the edge so that she starts making stupid mistakes.

She feels soothed by the sounds of John Mayer, lets the familiar tunes wash over her as she closes her eyes and breathes in gently.

She could do this.

* * *

As if the Team USA selection panel couldn't get any worse, they decide to stop publicly posting scores for them to see after they're all done on bars. That meant that the final two apparatuses, she's essentially going in blind.

She could perform the routine of her life, and she wouldn't know any better, until Alaric snuck her her scores after everything was wrapped up.

Likewise, she could perform the worst routine that she's ever done, and she'd have absolutely _no idea_ that she had done so.

It was an absolute mind fuck, and she was tempted to get up and walk right out then and there, because this was not how things were done.

"This is wrong." Alaric mutters as they're all lining up for their vault. "Complete and utter bullshit." He adds as Hayley Marshall shoulders past them to take her place in the previously appointed line up.

"Can't you, I don't know, _do something about it?"_ She hisses back as Alaric just rolls his eyes.

"In case you hadn't realised sweetheart, I'm not on the judging panel, ergo I can't really influence whoever else is on the judging panel, one way or another."

"This is ridiculous. Is it even worth continuing with this?" She asks, crossing her arm over her chest as Alaric raises an eyebrow at her in surprise.

"Caroline, shut up and vault."

It's a deceptively simple apparatus, but the vault is difficult enough to strike fear into the staunchest of gymnasts.

How hard could it be? You sprint down a runway, use a springboard, and within ten seconds your time in the sun is over.

Except, everything depends on the approach. Too slow, you don't get enough rotation to do whatever it is you're trying to do. Too fast, and you over rotate, possibly stumble on the landing, and stray outside the boundary lines.

Major points docked for that offence.

Again, for some reason, she has to wait until last to do her routine. It's a psychological thing, because obviously everyone else competing for spots on the team are just as good, if not better at the sport than she is.

But when she does her vault, she can't help but think she's nailed it.

And judging by the cheers, it would seem that the crowd agrees with her, even as the judging panel scowl at each other unpleasantly, and Hayley Marshall looks for all the world like she's swallowed a particularly sour lemon.

Bring it.

* * *

They save floor till last. Easily one of the easiest apparatuses to perform, there are a few essential components that make up the floor routine of an elite athlete.

First, there needs to be at least two dance elements included. Floor was a mix of rhythm, grace, and power and you need to master all three.

Second, there needs to be at least two tumbling lines. A white line bordered the spring floor that floor routines were performed upon. You step outside the white line, your points get docked.

She'd been working on her floor routine with Isobel for a few weeks now, back when she was still in London. It was partly inspired by her time there, about how she'd grown and changed since first setting foot in England.

It was a little more fiery, outside of her usual repertoire of classical music that she tended to favour. The classics tended to appease more to the judges in competition, tended to be the safer option.

But she figures since this is her last olympics, she may as well go out with a bang, even if the only place that this routine will ever be debuted is in front of the panel of Team USA judges.

And she's not going to lie, part of it is inspired by Klaus. Which is why she kinda wished that he was here to see it.

When she takes her place on the floor, she knows that this is it. This could be potentially the last time that she performs in such an environment, and even though she considers the floor her bitch, she's going to give it everything that she absolutely has.

So she does.

Her tumbling lines are tight, her movements flowing and graceful as she connects the dots of the elements of her routine. The crowd are actually _clapping_ along to the music, which only ever happens when someone has managed to impress the hell out of them.

When she finishes with a final flourish, she lets herself grin. Because even if she doesn't make it onto the team, doesn't make it to the Olympics, she's still pretty damn proud of herself.

And honestly, in moments like this, that was all that ever mattered for her.

* * *

"Alright gather around." Isobel's voice is sharp, and the stadium falls silent as they fall into a loose circle around her.

Isobel holds the microphone up to her lips and smiles at the audience in the stadium.

"Thank you all for coming today, and no matter the result, I'm sure you're proud of your girls. To be even considered for selection in the Olympic Games for Team USA is a huge honour, and testament to the hard work and dedication that these ladies have put in over the past few months and years."

A round of applause and a piercing wolf whistle that can only come from Kol Mikaelson echoes around the stadium before the crowd settle san falls silent once more.

Elena wraps an arm around her shoulders, squeezing gently, head bowed as she waits nervously to hear the results.

"As you all know, there are only five spots on the team. While we wish that we could take all of you through, sadly we will have to say goodbye to a few of you for now. At least, until the next season of competition rolls around." Isobel remarks with a cheshire cat grin.

She taps her foot impatiently against the ground, waiting and praying for her name to be called.

"In no particular order. The first member of the Team USA Woman's Artistic Gymnastics Team heading to Rio is…. April Thomas."

April shrieks out loud, burying her face in her hand as Vicki Donovan pulls her in for a tight hug. She applauds for her team mate, proud of April and the fact that it's going to be her second games for the USA.

April steps forward to receive her team tracksuit, the coaching and judging panel each taking the time to congratulate her individually.

"Joining April in Rio is… Elena Gilbert."

Elena's celebration is slightly more dignified than April's, but even she is helpless to stop the grin from creeping across her face as the other girls congratulate her.

Hayley Marshall folds her arms over her chest, otherwise pretty features painted in a frown as she stares at the ground with intense concentration.

"The next girl is Miranda Fell."

A collective intake of breath goes around the girls, because Miranda Fell was one of the lowest seeded gymnasts amongst them. From all reports she was a non entity, a black sheep with very little experience in the elite field.

"That's interesting." Alaric murmurs. "She's improved in leaps and bounds, but I wouldn't have put her on the team for this Games. "She's a beam specialist, which probably swung it in her favour."

"Vicki Donovan." Isobel calls as Vicki throws her a sympathetic smile before stepping forward to join the other girls, team tracksuit held reverently in her hands.

A hush falls over the crowd as Alaric rests a gentle hand on her shoulder. It's blatant favouritism on his part to be sure, but the rest of the coaching team seem happy to let it slide considering he had no part in judging the competition today.

"The fifth and final member for Team USA." Isobel begins, eyes sweeping around the stadium, before landing directly on Hayley, lips curling into a strange smile.

"Is Caroline Forbes."

* * *

"We're celebrating, and you are breaking the diet!" Rebekah declares, dropping a basket of cheese fries in front of her, the heavenly smell wafting across the table as Kol leans forward, openly salivating.

"What is _that_?" Katherine pokes at the basket with a somewhat horrified expression, as if she's worried that the cheese fries will suddenly come to life and swallow her whole.

"This is an American delicacy Katherine." Her mom replies, much to her surprise. "It's also a huge contributor to our national obesity crisis, but who wants to talk about that sort of stuff at a bar?"

Kol lets out a startled bark of laughter, eyes drifting from her to her mom as he sets down the round of beers, sliding the glasses across the table to everyone.

"Let's raise a toast to Caroline for making it to the Olympic fucking Games!" Rebekah declares, holding her glass aloft as everyone follows suit.

"The Olympic Fucking Games!" they all chorus, clinking their glasses together before taking a swig of their beers.

"Oh god I'd forgotten how bad American beer was." Katherine says with a grimace, taking another sip of her beer before pushing it away from her.

"Not going to lie, she kinda has a point Caroline." Kol agrees, but downs half of his beer in one, determined not to let some less than appealing alcohol get in the way of him having a good time.

"How are you feeling?" Rebekah asks, reaching across the table to hold her hand gently.

"A little overwhelmed to be honest. Someone pinch me, did the past few hours really happen?" She asks with a laugh as Kol leans over and promptly obliges.

"I don't really have any experience to measure it with." Katherine remarks with a wry smile. "But I can imagine you must feel pretty freaking amazing right now Caroline."

"You would certainly hope so, wouldn't you?" A very familiar voice muses from somewhere over her right shoulder, and she freezes as she turns her gaze to the side.

 _Klaus_ is standing before their table, one hand in his pocket, looking sleep rumpled and gorgeous.

He doesn't hesitate to catch her as she throws herself at him without a word, lifting her clear off the ground with a laugh as she wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a gentle kiss.

"What are you doing here? I thought you said that you weren't going to be able to make it?" She asks breathlessly as Klaus gives her a brilliant smile before nudging her back down into her seat, sliding into the booth next to her.

"Well I thought that I would. I jumped on a flight as soon as I could, but we got delayed because of the weather, so I told Rebekah to tell you that I wouldn't be making it to your trials at all, just in case. I'm sorry I couldn't be there." He adds gently, trailing a gentle finger across her cheek.

"You're here now." She replies with a soft smile, lacing her fingers with his and resting their joined hands on the table.

"And I believe congratulations are in order." Klaus points out. "My girlfriend, the Olympian." He's wearing a proud smile on his face, and she can't help but melt a little, not missing the fond smile that her mom shoots Klaus.

"I suddenly feel ridiculously inferior in the presence of such a power couple." Kol remarks mournfully as he stares down into his own beer, Katherine giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder.

"It's alright Kol. In case you hadn't realised, we are in a culture that values nerds." Katherine points out as the table bursts out into laughter.

And as she curls into Klaus' side, breathing in his familiar scent, she can't help but feel utterly and completely content.

* * *

 **AN: And here's Chapter 17. I do realise that it has been awhile, and I always strive to be completely honest with you guys when there is a delay in updating.**

 **To be honest, my mental health hasn't been the greatest lately, and I've been taking some much needed time out to love myself a little bit more than I had previously.**

 **As a result I've not been writing as much as I would like to, but this story and my others have still been at the back of my mind, even if TVD is now done and dusted :)**

 **Next chapters it he Road to Rio and then beyond for Klaus and Caroline!**

 **See you on the other side, and don't forget to review!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. if I did, The Originals and Steroline would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

It happens the very next week in training. The Olympic squad, having been separated from the rest of the gymnasts at Karolyi Ranch, were training around the clock for the Games that would be happening in just a few weeks.

This time next month, she'd be in Rio, gearing up to compete.

She's practicing some tumbling lines on the floor when she hears an ear splitting shriek. She's mid rotation, and it's with every ounce of concentration that she finishes her double back flip before whirling to pinpoint the source of the commotion.

Because whatever it was could not be good for them, in any way.

Meredith Fell is sprawled out on the floor beneath the uneven bars, Alaric knelt by her head with a stricken look on his face. Already two medics have rushed over to them, shielding Meredith's body from the rest of them as Elena strides across the sprung floor towards her.

"What happened?" She hisses towards Elena, who throws a sympathetic glance towards Meredith.

Meredith was a lovely girl, if not a little lacking in how she interacted with the rest of them. Alaric had sent them on various outings so that they could all get to know each other, but Meredith had never really gelled with her, April, Elena and Vicki.

They'd all tried to include her in conversations, but she stuck out like a sore thumb, neither willing to engage or willingly interact with any of them. Meredith was ambitious, and was perhaps setting her sights on a gold medal in some of the individual events where she didn't have to worry about the rest of them.

"I'm not one hundred percent sure." Elena replies, a frown creasing her forehead as April and Vicki join them, unable to train now that none of the coaching team were supervising them.

Avoiding injury in the lead up to the Games was the hardest thing. You were so geared up, at times running on pure adrenaline as you pushed yourself harder and faster, trying to twist your body impossible ways and trying to master intricate twists and turns and combinations.

Inevitably, there were near misses, a few of which she'd had herself over the past couple of days. She'd had to stop, take the time to centre herself and breathe as she brought herself back down to Earth again.

"She took a fall from the uneven bars." Vicki supplied, leaning forward and dropping the volume of her voice so the coaches wouldn't overhear them gossiping. "They reckon it's probably the wrist."

She sucks in a breath in sympathy, because a wrist injury this close to the Games would be catastrophic. Not only would it mean that Meredith was essentially scratched due to injury, it would mean that they're down a team member, and someone would need to fill in.

Isobel rises from her position at Meredith's feet as the rest of the coaches and medics continue to stand around her in a loose knot. Between the sea of legs, she sees Alaric help Meredith to her feet.

Isobel rapidly closes the distance between them, coming to stop before them.

"Practice is over." She announces with a curt nod as Elena peers over Isobel's shoulder to try and catch a better glimpse of Meredith.

"Is she going to be okay?" Vicki asks in concern as Isobel shrugs.

"We won't know for sure until we get the X-rays done, but it's not looking good. You're free for the rest of the day. Be back here at six o'clock for a team meeting. We'll decide where to go from there."

With that Isobel turns on her heels, heading back towards where Alaric is guiding Meredith over to a chair at the edge of the gymnasium so a medic can check her over more thoroughly.

"Come on then. Anyone want a coffee?" Elena asks with a sigh, leading the way over to their pile of bags and sling hers over her shoulders.

She falls into step beside Elena, one last glance of concern over her shoulder towards Meredith, who gives her a wan smile.

"Let's go."

She spends the better part of the morning having coffee with the other girls, before running some errands in town and returning to her apartment.

Almost automatically, her hands reach for her laptop. It would be around 8am Klaus' time if her calculations were correct, and hopefully she's picked a morning where he's not at training.

Their weekend together had been short and sweet, most of it spent in bed with a few snatches in between where they went out for coffee or for food. She did manage to show him some of her favourite running trails, and the look of awe on Klaus' face as he took in the scenery around them was one of the highlights of their time together.

They did a quick tour of the gymnasium, just like Klaus had shown her his first soccer pitch before they had even got together, back when they were dancing the tentative line between friendship and something more.

Klaus finally got to meet the girls (Hayley excepted), and get to know them all. Of course, he had them all swooning with his accent and his charming smile within seconds.

And of course, her mom had insisted on having Klaus around to dinner, to get to know him better. Klaus had been utterly charming, and her mom had seemingly melted around him, casting away her usually stoic exterior for one that was full of smiles and laughter.

When they had bid her farewell at the end of the night, to her surprise her mom had pulled Klaus towards her in a rather clumsy hug, pressing a quick, platonic kiss to his stubbled cheek.

"It was lovely to finally meet you Niklaus."

Klaus had just smiled down at her mom.

"Call me Klaus."

She taps her foot against the wooden floorboards of her apartment floor, waiting for the FaceTime call to go through to Klaus.

He picks it up within seconds, a concerned look on his face as he greets her with a quick hello.

"Everything alright sweetheart?" He asks, correctly deducing her somewhat frazzled mood. "Not that I don't enjoy hearing from you. But you don't usually call this early in the morning."

It takes her a moment to realise that her hands are shaking, and she curls them into fists, sucking in a deep breath to calm herself.

The reality of Meredith's situation was beginning to sink in, along with the very real possibility that it could have been her.

And just like that, she's having all sorts of scary thoughts about her training. What if she injures herself again, puts herself out of the Games before she even gets the chance to compete? What if the injury is really bad this time, and it's not something that she can bounce back from?

"What happened Caroline." Klaus' gentle voice sounding out her name in that accent brings her back down to Earth with a thump, and her eyes finally meet his, taking in the frown creasing his brow, the concern for her written plainly across his face.

"One of the girls took a bad fall today. We don't know for sure but we think that she might have broken her wrist. Put herself out of the competition."

She takes another breath as Klaus sits silently, waiting for her to continue.

"And, I know it's crazy, but I couldn't help but think, what if that had been me? Meredith was doing something that she'd done a hundred times before. It was the simplest thing, and it's changed the course of her sporting career."

"And you've been worrying about injuring yourself again, haven't you?" Klaus guesses correctly as she confirms this with a nod.

Klaus leans forward with a soft smile.

"Love, I could walk out this door tomorrow and get hit by a car. You could slip over in the bathtub and split your forehead open. All of these little things that seem so insignificant, yet can change the course of a life. What I'm trying to say sweetheart, is that you can't go through this being afraid of everything. You could injure yourself in your next training session, or you could win Gold at the Olympics."

"I know." She says softly, reaching out to touch the screen gently, wishing more than anything that she could curl up in his arms, feel warm and safe.

"You know what I'm looking forward to after I win Gold? Klaus asks, a cheeky smile stretching across his face. "I'm looking especially forward to a much deserved holiday. Would you care to join me?"

They'd discussed a holiday briefly, fleetingly, in passing every now and again, but had never sat down and made concrete plans. She hadn't realised that this was at the top of his mind.

"Really?" She asks, arching an eyebrow. "You're training for the biggest competition of your career, and I love your confidence by the way, and you're thinking about a holiday?"

"Actually I'm thinking about you and I lying on a beach sipping cocktails and going out dancing, but who was keeping track anyway?" Klaus replies easily, and she surprises herself when she lets out a short burst of laughter, smile creeping across her own face.

Just like that her melancholy mood is gone, replaced by a lightness and a happiness. She squares her shoulders, taking another deep breath.

"For the record, I would love to take a holiday with you. Did you have a particular destination in mind?"

Klaus' answering smile is as brilliant as the sun.

"Leave that with me, love."

* * *

The gymnasium is eerily quiet when she steps past the heavy door propped slightly ajar. Her footsteps echo off the wooden floorboards, soles squeaking against the highly polished surface.

Elena and Vicki are already perched in one of the bottom rows of the grandstands, wired with nervous energy as they wait to find out just what has happened to their team mate.

Behind her the door slams open again, April's Adidas Superstars making the same noise that her own shoes had made as her teammate slings an arm around her shoulders companionably.

"What do you reckon is going to happen?" Vicki asks a little nervously, wringing her hands as they all settle into the seats.

"Meredith is a goner for sure. I saw her fall, no way that she's walked away with anything better than a fracture in her wrist." April replies a little bluntly as Elena winces in sympathy for their teammate.

"She'll be out of the team. Question is, who is going to replace her?" April muses out loud.

Actually she had her own suspicions about who might be replacing Meredith Fell, and if her suspicions were correct, she was not going to like it at all.

The clock ticks over from 5:59pm to 6:00pm, and right on cue Isobel steps out of her office, Alaric and Hayley Marshall in tow.

She and Elena exchange a glance, Elena arching a single, perfect eyebrow at the sight of the young gymnast standing somewhat sheepishly between Isobel and Alaric.

"Alright, so I'll cut right down to it, since we're all very busy people." Isobel begins with her trademark drawl, sounding like she doesn't have a care in the world.

Alaric just crosses his arms over his chest, content to let his ex wife take the lead on this one.

"Preliminary X-Rays show that Meredith Fell suffered two fractures in her wrist after falling from the Uneven Bars during practice this morning. With the Olympics only weeks away, unfortunately this means that there's no possible way that she'll be recovered enough in time to compete as part of Team USA."

"Is she still in hospital? Can we go and see her?" Vicki pipes up as Alaric settles his gaze on her.

"She's resting at home right now, with a cast on her wrist. I'd maybe give her a day or two to process the news before visiting. But I'm sure that she'd love to see you." Alaric replies gently as Vicki nods to herself, Elena wrapping an arm around the younger girl's shoulders.

"The protocol for this sort of thing is quite clear, the next highest scoring gymnast on the team automatically takes her place. And that is why Hayley is here today. She'll be rounding out the team as the fifth member now that Meredith is out." Isobel delivers the news with all the grace of a bull in a china shop, not missing the minute wince that Elena gives at this particular revelation.

"Hayley is a good all rounder." Alaric continues, looking like he's swallowed a particularly sour lemon. "And I trust that you will extend the same support and friendship to her that you do each other. Once news of this breaks, and it will, we can't go into this looking anything less than a team united despite adversity."

She's the first to nod in agreement, the other girls soon following suit. She's determined not to let this get to her, Hayley meeting her eyes somewhat hesitantly before directing her gaze back to her feet.

Interesting.

"We'll see you here tomorrow at five. We'll be putting out a press release tonight. If you get any media calls or requests for interviews, please direct them back towards our head of publicity. None of you are to comment on this, nor are you to discuss Hayley's ascension to the team. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal." Elena replies, getting to her feet, voice dripping with disdain. "If there's nothing else…" She trails off, not waiting for Isobel to reply before she's tripping elegantly down the steps with all the grace of a dancer, moving across the darkened gymnasium floor.

Vicki and April follow suit, barely sparing a glance for Hayley, who is still looking down at her feet, hands shoved in her pockets. It doesn't take a genius to know that the girls are absolutely incensed at the idea of Hayley being in Rio with them, and a part of her wonders just how diva like Hayley's behaviour had been while she'd been gone.

Isobel pins her with a glare before she can move.

"As Captain of the team, I'm trusting you to build a positive team environment. For all members involved." She finishes with a minute jerk towards Hayley's still figure.

She swallows her retort, stunned into silence at the news that she's just been awarded the Captaincy of the team.

"We wanted to tell you earlier today, before everything happened." Alaric chimes in with a quick smile in her direction. "We could think of no one more deserving, especially considering you scored highest during the trials. Your floor routine was near perfect."

"Thanks. And I'll certainly do my best." She replies with a nod towards Isobel.

She steps past them without another word, fully recognising the uphill battle that she's got on her hands.

This was going to be tough.

* * *

"Caroline! Caroline! Over this way!"

She squints against the capcaphony of flashes before her before giving a tentative smile. She's seated behind the long table with the rest of Team USA; Elena Gilbert, Vicki Donovan, April Thomas, and Hayley Marshall, and all of them look just as surprised at the media attention as she is.

Press conferences in the lead up to The Olympics were the norm, especially for the Women's Gymnastic team. They were the powerhouse of the gymnastics world, and usually in the Games (at least the last couple), it came down to Team USA and another country duking it out for the gold medal in the team events.

They had varying degrees of success in individual all round competitions, but the team event was where all the time, energy, and investment went to.

In the middle of their line up sits the media liaison for Team USA, an absolutely formidable woman whose name she had immediately forgotten upon being introduced to her.

She had always been horrible with names.

It would be this woman who would control the ebb and flow of the press conference, what questions would allowed to be answered, and when it would end.

She'd done some media interviews, mainly for print, and on the spot TV interviews. But she was a little rusty, and that made her more than a little bit nervous.

She feels Elena squeeze her hand reassuringly under the table and throws a grateful smile towards her oldest friend.

Elena was absolutely unflappable when it came to stuff like this, and she was more grateful than ever to have such a calming presence sit beside her.

"Caroline, were you surprised to make it onto the team this time around?" One journalist calls out, and she turns to look at the media liaison, who gestures for her to continue.

"A little. I was worried with my injury that perhaps I wouldn't be in shape in time for the competition. But I had a lot of help from a very good team of people over in London, and thankfully I had some very good motivation to get better."

Another journalist raises their hand, charging into their question without waiting for the acquiescence of their PR person.

"Yes you were in London. Many thought it a rather odd decision by the coaching team to send you to the UK. We have plenty of sports physiotherapists there that could have aided in your recovery."

She crosses her arms on the table in front of her, levelling the journal with a pleasant smile.

"That's not a question." She says bluntly as next to her Elena shoots her an impressed glance.

The journalist smiles to himself before continuing.

"Let me rephrase that. Do you think it was wise to send you halfway across the world to recover when there were plenty of capable medical professionals Stateside? And do you think your personal life affected your ability to train effectively for the Olympics?"

"I suppose you're referring to my relationship with Niklaus Mikaelson." She remarks cooly, not being the one to break the staring contest that she and the journalist have going.

The journalist nods and she squares her shoulders, because Alaric had coached her for this exact scenario before they walked into the press conference.

"Clearly my 'personal life' as you put so nicely, did not impede my ability to train for the Olympics, since I'm sitting here at this very table." She begins, spreading her hands wide to encompass the rest of the team.

"And as for your first question in regards to the help I had medically, from what I was told my ACL tore in such a way that many physiotherapists were unwilling to take me on considering I was a high risk client with very small chance of return. In fact, Lorenzo Augustine was one of the few that was willing to invest his time and energy into me. A little embarrassing for our stateside physiotherapists don't you think, given the results?"

The journalist sits back in his seat, well and truly put in his place as he hunches over his notepad and begins to scribble furiously. She has time to meet Alaric's eyes, take in his smug yet satisfied smile, before returning her attention back to the sea of journalists.

She's granted a short reprieve then, as the mob descends on Hayley, asking her how she's feeling about competing in her first Olympics, if she feels bad for making it onto the team in such a way, if she feels ready to even tackle something as huge as this so early on in her elite career.

To Hayley's credit, she handles the scrum well, speaking with a quiet eloquence that she can tell surprises more than one person in the room.

"Caroline, the rivalry between yourself and Hayley Marshall is quite well known, and at times pushed by your very own coaches. How do you feel about competing side by side on a team with Hayley?"

The pack falls silent as the weight of the attention of the room settles on her, and she straightens before leaning forward towards her microphone with a sigh.

"Guys, whatever rivalry Hayley and I may have had, it's dead and buried. We have more important things to worry about than trying to one up each other. Hayley is a good gymnast, and she's going to bring a lot of strength to Team USA. All we can hope for is that all of our skills combined is enough for us to take home the Gold medal in a few weeks."

 **"** Do you think that you can do it Caroline? Do you think you can captain your team to Olympic Gold?" One journalist calls above the pack as the room falls silent once more, turning to look at her.

She just smiles, leaning back in her chair, voice just loud enough for her microphone to pick up.

"Oh bring it on."

* * *

 **AN: Here's Chapter 18 guys! Next chapter we see Caroline heading to Rio with the gang and reunites with Klaus in the Olympic Village.**

 **We're officially on the downhill slide for this story now, and I can see an end in sight. I'm absolutely blown away from the support that I've received from you guys, and can see it through the countless reviews, favourites, and follows that this story has received. Please know that I appreciate each and every person that chooses to read this story, and that your support means the world, especially as I tackle my anxiety in the real world.**

 **Love as always**

 **xx**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, The Originals and Steroline would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

She'd never had the opportunity to go to South America before, but she was already in love with Rio.

The heat in Texas was stifling at times, with the strange ability to seep into every hair follicle and pore across your body. Texas heat was the kind of sticky, unpleasantness that was characteristic of the Southern state.

Rio was something else entirely. The sea breeze coming in off the coast brought a welcome reprieve to them as she cracked the window of their bulletproof SUV, apparently a necessity according to the Team USA security.

She didn't know much about crime rates in Rio, but given that she was in an unfamiliar country she knew enough to be slightly wary of her surroundings, even if they did seem like a giant party.

Next to her, Elena is staring out the window, at the cacophony of Olympic paraphernalia that seemed to deck the streets.

Beyond the crowds whirled, the din of thousands of voices yelling and laughing packed into the busy streets, punctuated with the occasional arguments.

"Don't be expecting any luxury accommodations." Alaric chimes in from the front seat as she turns her gaze from the window to meet the eyes of her coach. "The government barely finished the Olympic Village on time. As of two days ago they were still screwing door knobs onto some of the entrances."

Even though countries were given plenty of notice if they were successful in their bid to host an Olympics, everyone seemed to be notoriously bad when it came to actually finishing the construction projects on time.

Sydney 2000 seemed to be the exception, with many of the sporting venues in place before they were awarded the winning vote by the IOC. Of course, around 80% of Olympic venues are usually torn down following the conclusion of the Games, and she had no doubt that Rio would be no exception.

"This is insane." April breathes, leaning over the backseat from where she and Hayley are sitting side by side. "Any of you guys been to Rio before?"

"They never have any international meets." Elena replies with a flick of her hair. "It's been on my list for awhile though."

Hayley just makes a soft noise under her breath, sinking further down into her seat, face looking a little pale.

The last few weeks of training in the lead up to Rio had been intense to say the least. Isobel, Alaric, and the rest of the coaching team had come down on them like a tonne of bricks, determined to have Hayley working seamlessly with the rest of them.

Alaric had been right all those months ago, Hayley was good, and the best gymnast remaining of the crop back home in Texas. She possessed a certain amount of raw talent that would get her far.

She wasn't too worried about the raw talent. She was more worried about how Hayley would cope under pressure, with thousands cramming into the indoor stadium to watch them and millions more tuning in around the world.

Of course, there was pressure back home as well from Team USA. The Women's gymnastic team was arguably one of their most successful teams, having a podium finish at every Games since 1992. and winning Gold at the last two.

Of course, the coaching team were eager to prove their worth, and were eager for another Gold Medal to display back home in Texas.

Truth be told, she'd never seen Hayley compete in anything less than a simulated meet, and wasn't sure how she'd go with something big like this.

She had no idea if Tyler was coming to support her, or her family or friends.

She knew that the Mikaelson's were flying over, Klaus having scored them tickets for his games (however far he and the team ended up making it). She had a certain amount of tickets to give out as well, and had immediately offered them to Kol, Bonnie, and Rebekah, leaving it up to them to distribute the remainders.

Her mom had already flown over as well, and had the luxury of staying in one of the nicer hotels in town that had been reserved for Team USA loved ones and family members.

"Alright, here's your room configurations. We've got a twin share and a triple share. No swapping and play nice." Alaric buts in, handing the piece of paper directly to her.

She flicks her eyes down the page, already anticipating what rooms Alaric would have assigned them to. Elena, April, and Vicki were rooming together, which was absolutely no surprise.

Which left her with Hayley.

She meets Alaric's eyes in the rear view mirror, raising a single eyebrow as April and Elena hi five each other next to her.

It's with a minute shake of his head that Alaric responds, mouthing 'later' to her as she shrugs. If Hayley is displeased by her choice of roommate she doesn't say anything, simply folds the piece of paper and slides it into the top of her sports bag.

The car pulls into the entrance of the Olympic Village, and she can't help but whistle in awe as they all press their faces up against the window.

With a capacity of 17,950 people, 3,604 apartments, and 31 buildings, the village in Rio is easily one of the biggest Olympic Villages in the entire history of the Olympic Games.

"Holy shit." Vicki says in amazement. "It's like an actual city."

Alaric just laughs at them. He'd be staying with some of the coaches on the same floor, which was slightly reassuring for her.

"Room keys. You each get a set. Try not to lose them. Get settled in, we've booked out a training room for 3pm Rio time. Opening ceremony is at 7pm, and then competition starts in 2 days. Not much time to acclimate yourself with the weather." Ric comments as the car pulls to a halt in front of the Team USA high rise.

She glances down at her key, noting her floor and room number as she leads the way out of the car, planting her feet onto Brazilian soil. The other girls follow suit, tilting their heads back to take in the tall building before them.

"Please tell me they have elevators." Elena remarks out loud as Ric laughs.

"Yeah they do. If you're going to go anywhere, try not to do it alone please." He remarks with a pointed glance towards her. "Most of the venues are within walking distance from the village, but we need all of you in top condition for competition. And no sex the night before the comp. They're my only rules. Apart from that, _enjoy it."_

She picks up her bag, slinging it over her shoulder, suitcase rolling behind her as they spill into the lobby of the building and head for the bank of elevators.

Hayley, who for the most part has remained completely silent, looks around at her surroundings with barely concealed interest.

"Pretty cool huh?" She nudges Hayley with an attempt at a friendly smile.

Hayley gives her a tentative smile back, showing positive emotion for the first time in days.

"Yeah."

The silence when she steps into their room is almost stifling, and she immediately pulls out her phone as Hayley pokes around the room, pulling up WhatsApp to see if there's anything from Klaus.

There are several.

 _Klaus: Can't wait to see you gorgeous. Let me know when you're in the Village._

 _Gone to training with the rest of the lads. Come and see me when you're settled? We'll be done around 1pm. We're down at the soccer complex, there are maps everywhere if you get lost ;)_

She locks her phone, tossing it onto the bed before beginning to unpack her suitcase with calm, methodical motions.

"Any plans for this afternoon?" She asks Hayley politely, who looks up from her own unpacking efforts like a deer caught in headlights, like she can't believe that someone is making polite conversation with her.

"Why are you being so nice to me? I was awful to you when you first got back." Hayley replies bluntly, folding a stack of clothes before shoving it into one of the open bureaus.

 _"_ Yes I believe the words that you used were that I was old, and nothing but a liability and an embarrassment." She quotes Hayley's words back at her, watching as the other girl visibly winces. "Look, I'm prepared to let bygones be bygones for the next week or two. I'm fine if you have issues with me, lord knows that I'm not going to get along with everyone. But whatever issues we have with each other, we need to put them aside for now. I can do that. Can you?" She asks levelling Hayley with a calm stare.

To her credit, Hayley meets her eyes evenly.

"I was scared of you." She admits out loud, and that revelation is enough to have her visibly reeling. "You're kind of this mythical figure in the halls of Karolyi. Couple that with the fact that they were willing to invest so much time and energy into you, and the few times that I've seen you compete. You're intimidating."

"Am I?" She muses out loud as Hayley frowns.

"Not like, personality wise. In fact you're kind of infuriatingly nice. But Isobel was dropping poison into my ear, basically saying that you were the person to beat and that it would be easy enough to do since you were overseas in London." Hayley sits down on the bed. "But I didn't anticipate how good you'd be."

"I've got a few good years on you." She points out with a soft laugh. "And more experience in competition environments. I'm not surprised that Isobel was trying to pit us against each other. She always has been a massive bitch."

Hayley's eyes flick towards hers in surprise.

"The sooner you learn that, the better." She tells the younger girl, who's hugging one of her Team USA shirts to her chest. "She's not here to do you any favours. To do any of us any favours. Isobel is interested in no one but herself."

"I'm sorry." Hayley blurts out. "For the way that I spoke to you. For the way that I acted around you. I know that I was a massive bitch, but I really want to do well here. Can you… can you accept my apology?"

"We're cool." She tells the younger girl. "Just don't try and pull any of that shit here, or I'll shut you down so fast that you won't even see it coming. Got it?"

Hayley just lets a small smile stretch across her face.

"Loud and clear captain."

* * *

"God why didn't you tell me your boyfriend was so hot?" April sighs as they watch team Great Britain run drills through the chain link fence. "I mean, I did get to see him up close and personal when he was in the US to surprise you, but damn girl."

Her eyes immediately land on Klaus, who has his shirt off and tucked into the waistband of his gym shorts as he instructs some of the younger boys in suicide sprints.

"Surely you've seen photos of him?" She turns to April with a laugh as April casts her gaze over the rest of Klaus' teammates.

"Yeah but they don't quite do him justice, do they?" April remarks with a laugh as she gets an elbow in the ribs. "Down girl. He's smoking, but not exactly my type. I prefer my men tall, dark, and handsome."

"Well there's plenty of candidates for your perusal." She points out as a pack of three jogs past their spot at the fence, casting an appreciative glance in their direction.

"God I already hate Alaric's no sex rule." April grumbles under her breath.

"Hey it's no sex night before the meet. He didn't say anything about not having sex any other time. Just try not to make it too obvious with the hickeys." She nudges April teasingly, rewarded when the other girl rolls her eyes.

"Like you have anything to worry about in that department Forbes." April replies dryly, both turning to watch as Klaus uses his shirt to mop up some of the sweat on his finely chiselled chest before tossing it towards the sidelines.

"No I most certainly don't." She pronounces with a smug smile as the clock ticks down towards one o'clock.

"God I hate you sometimes Caroline." April murmurs under her breath.

One of the coaches blows a short burst on his whistle and the group of players begins to break off into smaller groups as they amble towards the sideline of the small practice pitch.

They huddle at the bench for a moment before they're dismissed, heading for the showers, others heading straight back to their rooms for some much needed rest and relaxation before the opening ceremony later this evening, where they'd march into a stadium filled with tens of thousands of people.

She waits until most of the players have left the pitch before jumping the low chain link fence, feet landing firmly on the pitch.

She only has to take two steps before Klaus notices her from where he's packing up his sports bag, grin creeping across his face as he stands, rapidly closing the distance between them.

He doesn't stop her as she leaps into his arms, catching her easily around the waist before pulling her in for a toe curling kiss.

The wolf whistles from his teammates doesn't deter her, instead twines her hands through his hair to pull him closer, closing the minute distance between them.

It's Klaus that pulls back first, finally setting her down on her feet as he grins down at her.

"Hello love. Red, white and blue becomes you." He remarks lightly, flicking at the collar of her Team USA polo shirt.

"Mmm." She replies with a quick smile. "I could say the same, but you're not wearing a shirt at all." She runs a finger down his sternum playfully, Klaus catching her hand with a warning glance before she can get any lower, April visibly snickering beside them.

She takes a giant step back from Klaus, giving him time to bend down and pull a fresh shirt over his head. April looks slightly disappointed at this.

"Klaus, you remember April Thomas, one of my teammates?"

"Lovely to see you April. Looking forward to seeing you ladies compete later this week. Are you going to come to any games?" He asks politely as April glances at her, question in her eyes.

"Oh I think we can spring an extra ticket from somewhere, can't we babe?" She asks Klaus, slinging an arm around April's shoulders.

"No problem." Klaus replies easily. "I'm sure Caroline would love to have company other than my siblings."

"Oh please, I love your siblings and you know it. But seriously April, you're more than welcome to come along anytime you want."

"I will probably take you up on that offer. Walk me back to the apartment. Don't want to impede on you two too much. I know that you haven't seen each other for awhile."

The walk back to the Team USA building takes only minutes, and she and Klaus wait until April is safely in the foyer before he slings an arm around her shoulder, pressing a quick kiss to her temple.

"Alone at last." Klaus sighs as she laughs.

"Yeah you, me and 18,000 other people." She replies as Klaus steers them towards one of the many lunch spots around the village.

"Kol has been texting me non stop since they arrived this morning. Wants to know if I've seen you yet and if you're in good health and spirits."

Scary thing is, she's not exactly sure if Klaus is paraphrasing or not.

"Well clearly I'm okay. Are you going to meet him later?"

"Probably tomorrow. Won't have time before Opening Ceremony tonight. They're not coming, Bekah and Katherine would prefer to watch from the comfort of their own hotel room. Can't say I exactly blame them."

"But where's their team spirit?" She asks as she picks up a salad from the buffet, Klaus piling his own plate high with his approved diet.

"Well sweetheart, they're kind of torn. You see they're British, but they're going to be cheering on an American." Klaus' lip curls in mock distaste as she lands a jab to his ribs that almost has him dropping his tray of food.

"I suppose I deserved that."

* * *

The Opening Ceremony was nothing short of insane. They watched most of it unfold in a massive space beneath the stadium where they'd shepherded various teams into the order in which they'd march out.

In a nod to Greece's status of having held the first Olympics, they always marched first, which was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because the crowd was always excited when the first marchers came out from the athletes tunnel. A curse because they then had to wait for _everyone_ else to do their lap around the stadium and get ushered into the centre of the gigantic space.

Easily the longest part of the night, she couldn't exactly blame Katherine and Rebekah for wanting to watch it from their hotel.

All the same though, she knew her teammates were excited, even if they were slated to march in the 70th position. Generally each nation marched in alphabetical order of the host country's native tongue. Which was why Klaus and the rest of team Great Britain would march after them in the 82nd position.

She was sleepy and jet lagged and slightly sore from their intense gym session that Alaric had put them through earlier this afternoon, but she honestly wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world right now, and she can't help but count her lucky stars that she _made it._

Her phone buzzes in her hand and she automatically picks up the call, expecting it to be from Klaus in the other room, who had been sending her various anecdotes and selfies for most of the evening. It had been fun, having her boyfriend at the same event as her.

To her surprise it's not Klaus. It's Enzo.

"Hello you!" She greets him delightedly. "Can you hear me? It's a bit loud in here."

True to her promise to him before leaving London, Enzo _had_ been the third person that she personally told that she'd made it into the Olympic Team, after her mother and Klaus of course.

He'd been thrilled for her, sending a huge bunch of flowers and a bottle of wine to her apartment the next day to congratulate her.

She'd also sent him a present, a double pass to the West End. She figured he could take Rebekah to see a show, and Enzo had been no less delighted with the gift. It seemed small payment in return for what he'd brought her- success and happiness in both her personal and professional life.

One day, she'd really thank him for everything that he did. Although his client base certainly seemed to be growing, now that news had got out how successful his rehabilitation program for athletes had been.

"Believe me, it's just as loud in here as well." Enzo replies dryly, and if she strains to listen she can just hear Rebekah and Katherine chattering loudly in the background, Kol calling loudly for margaritas and room service.

"I didn't know that you were here. What a lovely surprise." She replies teasingly. She can practically hear Enzo smile through the phone.

"Oh come on, don't be like that. I couldn't exactly not come and see the fruits of my labour now, could I?" Enzo says with a soft chuckle. "Besides Bekah would probably disown me if I didn't come along. Kol is taking some getting used to in close quarters."

"I heard that!" She hears Kol call out in the background.

"So how are you doing? Feeling confident?" Enzo questions in that warm way of his that used to have her spilling the beans about all her hopes and fears and insecurities about her injury to him back in London when they were doing rehab together.

"Yeah I think I'm finally good. And I really think this is it for me you know? The knee won't hold up forever, and I've already got one gold medal under my belt."

"Two if you count your individual win at London." Enzo points out amiably.

"I think I've achieved all that I want to. I mean if they want to keep me around for another four years then that's fine, but if they want to put me on ice after this, then I'm not going to be totally devastated you know?"

"Caroline Forbes, you've come a long way since I've first met you." Enzo replies after a long pause. "I'm proud of you, you know?"

"Thankyou. For everything." She tells him sincerely.

"Hey, when you win gold in a couple of days time, can you ask the IOC for like, a duplicate of your medal? I want to hang it in my office so I can brag to all my potential clients and look like an absolute wanker."

"Deal." She declares firmly with a soft laugh of her own.

A tugging on her elbow draws her attention back to Elena, who's tapping pointedly at her watch before pointing towards the athletes tunnel, where Olympic officials are ushering them into position behind their flag bearer for the Games, star swimmer Michael Phelps.

"Hey I've got to go. Apparently we're going to march soon thank god."

"Life is tough." Enzo responds dryly. "I'll let the girls know. I think they were going to turn in after seeing you on T.V. I'll see you at your event?"

"Probably not." She tells him honestly. "I'll be pretty zoned out to my surroundings. But just knowing that you have every intention of being there is enough for me."

"Sweet." Enzo says sarcastically. "Alright then superstar, I'll talk to you sometime soon."

"Laters."

Sliding the phone into the pocket of her sweatpants, she joins her teammates, Hayley looking slightly uncomfortable about all of the attention that she's about to receive. The media had for the most part painted her as the young ingénue, the one that just missed out on her shot but is getting a second chance.

There had been very little printed about their rivalry, and for that she was grateful. She was making small leaps and bounds with Hayley.

"Hey. Are you okay?" She asks the younger girl with a gentle hand on her arm. Hayley just looks at her wide eyed, listening to the roar of tens of thousands of people echoing around the stadium.

"Relax and enjoy it." She tells Hayley. "No matter how you got here, no matter what you're thinking right now, you're here. At the Olympics. It might not come around again."

"I'm a little nervous." Hayley says with a shaky laugh as Elena turns a calm gaze on Hayley.

"You'll be fine. You wouldn't be here if the coaching team didn't think you could handle it."

April stands, slinging an arm around Hayley's shoulders.

"Just think of it like you're in a competition. Breath deep, centre yourself, and smile. Wave to your loved ones back home, because they're going to be watching if they're not already here in Rio."

She takes a step back and smiles at her teammates, because it's the first time that they've actually treated Hayley as one of them.

"Line up!" One of the officials yells, and she steers the rest of the girls into place behind the large bulk that is the swim team.

Her phone buzzes in her pocket and she has time to pull it out and read the message from Klaus before they're ushered out into the stadium.

 _This is insane. I'm glad I'm doing this with you sweetheart._

* * *

 **AN: And here's Chapter 19! I started writing this one as soon as I finished posting 18. I find that once I start getting towards the end of the story the writing comes a little easier.**

 **Not sure how many chapters are left- not many. As I said last chapter there is an end in sight.**

 **I think there was a glitch with fan fiction when I uploaded the last chapter, and some of you might not have received the chapter notification. Hopefully you all get a chance to catch up :)**

 **A little fillerish, but Klaus and Caroline are reunited in Rio once more. Next chapter will see Klaus begin his quest for Olympic Gold, Caroline and Hayley have a moment, and Caroline steps up to the plate as her team begin heats for the gymnastics event.**

 **See you on the other side, and don't forget to leave me your thoughts about this chapter!**

 **xx**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. if I did, The Originals and Steroline would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

"Oh my god, you have no idea how good it is to see you!" Rebekah squeals, jumping on top of her almost as soon as she steps outside the Team USA building.

She stumbles a little, arms full as Rebekah pulls her into a tight hug. It's a struggle to blink the sunlight out of her eyes as Rebekah continues to chatter away at full speed.

"I mean don't get me wrong, as much as I love my brothers, sister in law, and future sister in law, I also love seeing your face." Rebekah finishes.

She just laughs, stepping back from Rebekah, gripping the blonde tightly by the upper arms with a smile.

"Good to see you as well Bekah. How's Rio?"

"A little crazy." Rebekah admits, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as Bonnie steps forward to envelope her in another tight hug. "We haven't really gone out of the hotel room too much."

Kol and Elijah just kiss her on the cheek, Katherine doing the same for which she is eternally grateful. She's always awkward with hugs and embraces, despite the fact that the Mikaelsons and Katherine are pretty much family.

Enzo just smiles lazily at her, hands in his pockets as he observes their reunion a little off to the side.

It's rare, to have such a blessed free day where they're expected to do absolutely nothing. Alaric of course would expect her to put some time in at the gym later on, but they're not doing a full practice, can't risk the chance of injury this close to the competition.

They would be absolutely screwed if any one of them hurt themselves, especially given that there's essentially no stand by gymnast ready to step in and take the place of a hurt team member.

"That I can understand." She tells Rebekah. "We haven't really been outside of the village much, except to go and watch other events. Looks like we're beating you on the medal tally." She nudges Rebekah with a teasing elbow, who simply rolls her eyes.

"Yes that always happens. It's quite infuriating really, the amount of money that your country pours into their sporting programs."

"Infuriating, but then technically my source of income would be gone if they hadn't." She points out as Rebekah lets out a huff.

She feels an arm slip around her waist and leans back into Klaus as he presses a kiss to her neck.

"Hello sweetheart." He murmurs before he's accosted by his siblings, who rib and tease him.

It's nice to see, as he trades playful hits with Kol and bends down to kiss Rebekah on the forehead.

Rebekah swats him away with a smile.

"Alright, come on then. I've got a long list of things to do today and I don't want to waste any time."

* * *

"Are you sure this is okay?" She whispers towards Klaus later that afternoon, who simply places a finger over his lip, eyes dancing with happiness as he pulls her down the hallway behind him.

It takes him no time to unlock the door to what was obviously his room.

Klaus throws her up against the wall almost as soon as she steps inside after him, and she only has time to drop her bag on the floor before his lips are on hers, hands hot on her waist.

The last two days had been spent apart training for their respective sports, and although she did love her teammates it was getting a little tiring living on top of each other, given the close proximity of their rooms.

Not to mention April had started up a fling with an American diver who was a hot favourite to medal in his event, so Elena and Vicki were probably about ready to murder her.

Klaus was due to start sudden death rounds tomorrow to determine the top 4 teams who would make it to the finals, with the grand final taking place in five days time (if they made it that far).

"Hello to you too." She finally remarks with a soft laugh as his lips burn a scorching trail down the side of her neck. "I think someone's got a little bit too much energy pent up."

Klaus just places a finger on her lips with a dark gaze and a calm smile, stepping back and pulling his shirt over his head, discarding it carelessly on the floor.

Her breath hitches in her throat as she runs a hand down the hard lines and muscles on his chest, both admiring and marvelling at the amount of work that went into maintaining a body like Klaus possessed.

"Where's your roommate?" She asks breathlessly as he presses hot, open mouthed kisses down her neck and the column of her throat. Unbidden, her hands tangle in his hair as she sighs with pleasure.

"He's agreed to give us the room until dinnertime. I think that gives us plenty of time, doesn't it love?" He asks, picking her up suddenly. She wraps her legs around his waist, all the breath leaving her body as he carries her over to his bed, sitting with her still in his lap.

She's not sure how long they make out like teenagers for, hands roaming over each other's bodies, as he helps her take her shirt off, one hand expertly unclasping her bra.

"I don't even want to know where you learnt how to do that." She tells him with a soft laugh, shrugging her arms out of the straps, dropping the garment into her growing pile of clothes.

Klaus just gives her a smirk, leaning back slightly to take in her body as a hand ghosts up the side of her ribs, thumb sweeping along the underside of her breasts.

She pushes him down all the way until he's lying on his back, wasting no time in clambering off him, bending down to reach for the buckle of his belt.

Klaus helpfully lifts his hips, assisting in shucking his pants and boxers, erection springing free, resting hot and heavy against his stomach.

She strips down to her panties, crawling up his body as he shifts backwards on the mattress, making room for both of them.

Klaus groans into her ear as her hand wraps around his cock, thumb sweeping over the tip, smearing pre come down his shaft.

"Not really what I had in mind love." He bites out between gritted teeth as she wraps a firm grip around him and tugs gently. "Fuck."

"Such a dirty mouth." She murmurs, swallowing his next expletive with her kiss. She moves down his body, Klaus' gaze darkening as she gives him a slow, sinful smile.

Before she can get where she needs to go, Klaus tugs gently on her arm, pulling her back up his chest and rolling them.

"As much as I love long and drawn out with you sweetheart, I have a feeling we both need something a little… quicker." He pronounces with a smile, nuzzling at the valley of her breasts.

She lays back, chest heaving as she sucks in air, Klaus ripping her panties away, positioning himself and entering her in one, smooth thrust.

It's kisses and touches as they move against each other, both paying no heed to gentleness or a relaxed pace.

Klaus had been right, they both needed a quick release, a breaking of tension that both of them held in their bodies.

He sets a pace that they both agree upon, so in sync with each other's bodies as Klaus maintains the rhythm of his thrusts, thumb rubbing at her clit to push her ever so closer to the edge.

She almost whites out with the intensity of her orgasm, lips parting around his name with a soft moan, Klaus bending down to nose along the column of her neck as he finds his own release in her body.

Utterly spent, he collapses on top of her briefly before pulling out with a wince, collapsing back onto the mattress.

She just breathes in, feeling like she's run a marathon, one hand reaching up to fix her tangled hair with a soft laugh.

"I think I needed that." She tells him, lacing her fingers through his as she continues to _breathe._

Klaus just lets out a soft noise of agreement, taking their joined hands and pressing a kiss to the back of hers.

After a minute she sits up, searching around for her clothes, holding up her panties with a sigh as she spots the ripped seams.

"Yeah I'm going to need to borrow a pair of your boxers. Please tell me you've been washing." She says to him with a laugh as Klaus waves his hand dismissively towards the wardrobe, still attempting to bring his breathing back under control and occurring at a normal rate.

It takes no time at all to pull on a spare pair of boxers, throwing a clean pair at him, watching as he slides them up his hips.

When they're both more properly attired she crawls back into bed with him, pulling up the covers and curling her head against his chest.

"Want to set an alarm? Looks like we both need a bit of a nap." She says softly as Klaus nods in agreement, punching their wake up time into his phone before tossing it onto the bedside table.

It takes no time at all for sleep to pull her under.

* * *

Klaus and his team make it through the first round of knockouts, and then the second. It's a winning streak that doesn't particularly surprise her given the strength of the Olympic squad this time around, the best and brightest from the English Premier League Teams, the winning captain to steer the squad in the right direction.

Klaus had risen in value, both symbolically and financially. He could sign with anyone next year, any squad would kill to have a Premier winning and an Olympic captain under their club's banner.

She didn't doubt that he could command a pretty penny, if he so desired. But Klaus had never been in it for monetary gain, even if he did enjoy certain perks his lifestyle brought him (like obscenely expensive cars, awesome houses, and international holidays).

The third game, played against Spain, is a tightly contested match that has both her and April on the edge of their seats, Rebekah biting her nails next to them as Bonnie, Kol, Katherine and Elijah take advantage of the relatively open bar and fairly relaxed liquor laws over in Rio.

By the time one of Klaus' teammates score the winning goal in a penalty shootout, Rebekah's nails are bitten down to the quick, and Kol is head over heels drunk on alcohol and happiness as he presses a noisy kiss to Bonnie's cheek.

"Is it always that nerve wracking?" April asks her later as they walk back to the Olympic Village, Klaus' arm swung wearily over her shoulders as they walk.

They're surrounded by people, the road leading to the village alive with the vibrant sounds of a Rio evening, so she doesn't have to worry about her safety here.

All the same, Alaric and warned them not to linger outside the Village after dark.

"To watch? Oh yeah." She answers April with a laugh. "They're always exciting games, especially when you've got this one here to watch." She digs a gentle finger into Klaus' ribs.

"Mmm." Klaus agrees, barely able to form coherent sentences given how worn out the game had made him.

They'd get a break for a day while the other pool of countries played their knockout games, and then it would be down to business as Klaus and his team begin the battle for Gold.

They'd all know by the end of the week if they were successful.

"Are you going to get anything else for dinner?" April asks curiously. "I don't know if I should or try and get a few extra hours sleep."

"Maybe something light." She replies as Klaus pauses outside of the team Great Britain accommodation.

Klaus presses a kiss to her cheek, wishing her luck before lifting a hand in farewell to April. They'd had a slightly longer conversation before his game about how she was feeling before heats tomorrow, and although she was fine now, she was reassured by the fact that Klaus would be there tomorrow to watch and support her.

April leads the way towards the dining hall once they're inside their own building, and she grabs a salad and a bottle of sealed water, sliding into a seat opposite April as they both settle in.

"How's Hayley feeling about tomorrow?" April asks suddenly.

She chews on her salad before replying.

"Not sure, I've been meaning to have a chat to her tonight, just to check in on her. She seems… different. How much of a nightmare was she when I was gone?"

"Oh you don't want to know." April replies with a roll of the eyes. "Non stop attitude, insisted on getting trained one on one, refused to talk to any of us because we were the competition. I think Isobel enabled her a lot though. I think not getting accepted initially into the team has knocked some sense into her. And you being here of course."

"Yeah I gathered as much from the others."

"You were the person to beat." April remarks simply. "She was terrified of you. Every time there was even mention of you she used to clam up real bad. We couldn't get anything out of her until we'd all finished up training and she came back the next morning. Funny how things work out, isn't it?"

She and April sit talking for an hour before making their way up to their rooms, April pulling her into a quick hug before pushing into the room she shares with Elena and Vicki.

Her door is already unlocked, and she proceeds with caution, unsure as to what Hayley has been doing for most of today.

Hayley's tearstained face was the last thing that she was expecting to find, and she drops her bag warily, locking the door behind her as she sits on the end of her bed.

"Everything okay?" She asks softly as Hayley glances up from her phone, looking at her in surprise. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Hayley presses her lips together in a thin line before putting her phone down on the bed.

"Tyler has apparently been cheating on me."

She blinks at Hayley, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I wish I could say I was surprised. But I went through exactly the same thing with him a few years ago. You need to put it out of your mind."

Hayley just laughs bitterly, glancing down at her phone.

"Yeah right. Like it's just that easy."

"It needs to be. It's the night before one of the biggest competitions of your career. You need to focus and put it to the side until you can give it the attention that it deserves."

Hayley buries her face in her hands with a soft groan.

"Oh god. He's meant to be coming tomorrow. I cannot handle having him here after everything. Why the hell would he even tell me this now? He _knows_ how important tomorrow is!"

"Tyler is really good at thinking only of himself." She points out, because it had been exactly the same as her. "But we can at least rectify that part of the issue by revoking his team pass."

Hayley lifts her head, eyes shining.

"Can you?" Her breath hitches as she goes to speak again, eyes welling up with tears.

She just leans forward, resting a hand on Hayley's shoulders.

"I'll handle it. Hit the sack and get some sleep. I'll wake you tomorrow when it's time to get up, okay?"

As Hayley snuggles under the covers, back turned to face her, she can't help but feel sorry for her.

She forgets sometimes, just how _young_ Hayley is. She's handled everything up to this point with a dignity and maturity that belies her actual age, just nineteen years old.

She remembers being nineteen years old.

She digs her phone out of her pocket, opening a new message and quickly typing something out to Alaric, who would then handle anything that needed to be handled.

His response comes seconds later, as expected.

 _I'll take care of it. Both of you get some rest._

* * *

The locker room beneath the Rio gymnasium is buzzing. They have their own separate warm up room, and each of the girls had taken full advantage of that fact to go through their own, pre competition rituals.

Alaric sat in the centre of the room, keeping a careful eye on all of them. She sat against the wall, lazily stretching after having warmed up earlier, her iPod earbuds in and familiar playlist cycling through.

Elena was meditating in the corner, breathing in and out deeply as Vicki flicked through a magazine, nervous and jittery at the thought of what they were about to walk into, April sitting beside her.

Hayley was examining her reflection in the mirror, fastidiously smoothing down any stray hair, occasionally applying some hairspray before ghosting a hand over her hair.

Hayley looked like she was about to crawl out of her own skin, and a part of her wondered if she should go over there and maybe pull the girl aside, tell her to get her head in the game.

Even though it was only heats, they were competing against the best gymnasts in _the world._ They couldn't afford to be distracted and start making sloppy mistakes, even if heats were generally seen as a cake walk, with the US enjoying an easy ride to the finals for the last couple of Games.

Alaric stands, and she pops out one of her earbuds as he pauses before her.

"I'm going to go and check out the atmosphere upstairs, make sure that everything is as it should be." Alaric nods once at her, hands in his pockets as he disappears without another word.

She wraps the cords of her headphones around her iPod, sliding it back into her gym bag as she stands. As captain, it's her job to make sure that the team is whole, healthy, and ready to face whatever the hell might happen out there over the course of the next few hours.

It really was sink or swim, and she envied Klaus his break before he was launched into the frenzy of football finals.

"Alright, bring it together!" She raises her voice, commanding the attention of the room.

Hayley starts in surprise, turning away from the mirror to blink at her. Elena just nods to herself, unfolding her tall form from the floor, April and Vicki dropping whatever they were doing.

She takes a moment to look over their appearance, to ensure their leotards were in pristine shape, no bra straps were showing, and that their hair wouldn't bother them throughout the meet.

They all knew to plan ahead, to keep emergency cans of hairspray and bobby pins in their sports bags. Just in case.

"Look. I've never been great at motivational speeches." She begins, struggling to find the right words that will pump up her teammates. "But I know that we've worked hard for this, have fought hard for this. All of us deserve to be here." She continues, eyes resting on Hayley for a moment or two.

She takes another breath in.

"We're carrying the torch. For all that have come before us, and all that will come after us. It's a proud history that we're carrying with us. Let's not try and fuck it up too badly."

Elena lets out a snort of laughter, clapping her hand over her mouth.

"Aye aye, captain." April tosses her a mock salute, eyes shining with mirth as Vicki lets out a nervous giggle.

Hayley just sways on the spot, Elena flinging an arm around her shoulder to pull the younger girl in closer.

"We just have to focus. We've got this. We've practiced these routines to death, from every wrist flourish to every flip. And Caroline's right. We _all_ deserve to be here. Now lets go out there and show the rest of the world that we deserve to be here as well. Deal?"

"Deal!" They all chorus, patting each other over the back and slinging their bags over their shoulders.

She takes a deep breath, gesturing for the girls to move towards the tunnel, glancing down at the time on her phone. They had a strict deadline to keep to, a certain amount of time to get out onto the floor and have their presence acknowledged by the judging panel.

She emerges, blinking into the light, the rest of her team arrayed behind her as the crowd in the gymnasium _roars_ with excitement. She knows that Klaus is sitting with her mom, his siblings, Bonnie, Katherine, and the rest of the American contingent, probably sticking out like a sore thumb in his Great Britain tracksuit.

She's not going to lie, she's done her reading, knows that they're the hot favourites to sail through to the finals. The odds of them coming out in first place were ridiculous.

She lifts her hand in a wave towards the Team USA section, many of them returning her acknowledgement with clapping and yelling. She can't help but smile to herself at the show of support.

She'd done her best in the lead up, to go to events other than Klaus' games. It was good to foster team spirit, and she was welcome in any venue that Team USA were competing in as soon as she flashed her team pass.

Elena looks slightly stunned at the amount of Team USA members that had turned out for them.

"This is insane." She breathes as April and Hayley make soft noises of agreement.

Alaric is waiting for them on the sprung floor, giving each of them a hand up as the other teams from other countries line up in formation.

The judging panel stand before them, impartial and seriously dressed in pants and blazers. They were the best of their cohort, hand picked by the IOC to fill the prestigious positions.

It was this panel that would make or break them. She was determined not to be intimidated, staring each of them down.

One of the judges step forward, microphone held in hand.

"Welcome, to the Games of the 31st Olympiad. Let the competition begin."

* * *

 **AN:** **And here's chapter 20! I think story wise this is probably going to be the longest multi chapter that I've written for this fandom- I thought I'd wrap this up in 23 chapters but I think I've got at least another 5 left tbh. But we're getting there!**

 **Sorry again for the filler like nature of this one- next chapter is straight back into the action of Finals for both Klaus and Caroline, and then we'll explore where they take their relationship after the Olympics.**

 **See you on the other side! xx**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, The Originals and Steroline would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

She can't help but pick at her nails as she watches the match unfold on the field before them. No matter what happened in this final match, Klaus and his team would at least be guaranteed an Olympic medal.

Nevertheless, the last match, played against Japan, had been a thrilling one to watch. Japan had lost in the final minutes of the game, relegating them to the bronze medal.

Of course, the medal ceremony wouldn't take place until the outcome of today's game was decided, but she knew that the Japanese team were in the crowd somewhere to watch the top two teams duking it out.

It was somewhat ironic that Klaus and his team were doing their best to outdo Team USA in this match. She was torn on who to cheer for- her countrymen or her boyfriend, and she didn't feel the slightest bit guilty when she cheered for both, despite the filthy look that Rebekah shot her.

She was just happy to be here honestly.

She wasn't sure what she'd been so worried about with Heats. They'd sailed through with ease as predicted, the rest of the girls coming together in the best possible way to demonstrate on a world stage exactly why they were the best of the best.

They'd finished in first place, miles ahead of the second placing team, China. Although the heats might have been a breeze, she couldn't say that the finals were going to be the same. That would be a completley different ball game, coaches obsessively going through the routines of their own gymnasts and the competition, pointing out every mistake and weakness so that it could be rectified before Finals tomorrow.

The judging was tougher, the stakes were higher. They weren't just fighting for a chance to get to the finals, they were fighting for the gold medal.

She was proud of all her teammates, especially Hayley, who had blown everyone away, reporters, media, judges, and competitors included with an absolutely insane routine on the beam.

She was still half convinced that the laws of gravity had been defied at some point, she'd honestly never seen anything like it. Hayley would be untouchable in a couple of years, and she was woman enough to admit that she had been nowhere as good as Hayley was at that age.

Her pep talk the night before heats had seemed to work, and she had to admire the other girls ability to compartmentalise the bad news she'd received from her (hopefully) now ex boyfriend, to push it aside until she could address it on an even playing field so to say.

The roaring of the crowd draws her attention back to the game, and she glances up at the big screen just in time to see Klaus streaking towards the goal, the unrelenting march of the game clock ticking down behind him, recording the dying seconds of the match.

The score had been locked 1-1 this entire time, both teams far too evenly matched for one side to make it a runaway match.

The entire stadium erupts as Klaus rockets the ball toward the goal, the Team USA goalies gloves just brushing the ball with the very tips before it thunders into the back of the net.

The crowd goes _insane_ as the final whistle blows.

"Oh my god!" Rebekah yells as she leaps to her feet. "Did that actually happen?" She asks as the rest of them sit there in stunned silence.

It would probably go down in history as one of the most surprising moments in an Olympic football final, and as she watches the replay on the screen she can see why. Klaus had used every ounce of skill he possessed to manoeuvre the ball away from the scrum of players, taking a very rare opening towards the goal that had only resulted because of the crowding of defenders.

Klaus is lost in a sea of team members as the crowd cheers, the US team looking somewhat dejected and forlorn as they sit around the field in various states of disbelief. It had been a hard campaign for them, and she can only imagine the disappointment that they must all be feeling, to come so close but to have it snatched from them at the last second.

It had happened before with her, countless times.

The crowd roars their approval as Klaus jogs over to the opposing goal keeper, offering him his hand and pulling him up from the ground. The goalie pats him on the back with a wry curl of his lips, yelling something in his ear as Klaus returns his smile.

Things move quite quickly after the players have shook hands with the opposing teams, a podium being carted out onto the field that will be big enough to take the weight of all three teams at once.

"Oh he is going to be such a smug bastard now." Kol remarks with barely contained glee as they watch Klaus grin widely at his teammates as they take their place behind the centre of the podium.

The crowd applauds politely for Japan and the USA as they're awarded their medals, both teams waving to the sea of reporters, images that would be almost instantly uploaded to every major news site in the world.

But the roar for Team Great Britain is almost enough to lift the roof off the stadium. She can't help but grin as she slings an arm around Rebekah, watching as Klaus bends to receive the gold medal that's placed around his neck, keeping it close to his heart as he straightens and lifts a hand to wave to the crowd.

As the first strains of the British national anthem begins, the auditorium falls silent, most of them not familiar with the words.

It's a proud moment for Klaus, for her, for all of them.

And so she smiles.

* * *

Her hands are shaking. That in and of itself isn't unusual. Nerves before a competition were normal, but this was something else.

She sits in the belly of the gymnasium, in the locker room assigned to their team.

 _Nothing_ is working. Her playlist is like white noise in her ears, stretching and meditating hadn't helped in the slightest, and she feels panicked, flushed, freaked out.

The other girls had long since gone up to the gymnasium floor, to scope out the competition and to determine what apparatus they'd be competing on first. She had a few more moments before she'd have to join them.

There was no strict deadline to be acknowledged by the judging panel this time. The judges were aware of who would be competing, what teams would be present today.

She fears footsteps on the stairs and attempt to pull herself together as Hayley clatters into the room, still dressed in sneakers and team tracksuit.

The younger girl stops short the sight of her sitting on the bench, hands clasped tightly together.

"You okay?" Hayley asks carefully, moving towards her slowly, coming to sit next to her.

She gives Hayley a quick smile, stretching out her hands in front of her, looking at the shaking.

"A little nervous I guess." She finally supplies as Hayley glances down at her hands before grabbing them.

"Caroline, you're trembling. Are you okay? Do you need me to get Ric?"

"Okay, so maybe I'm more than a little nervous."

"Hey. You're the captain of one of the best gymnastic teams _in the world."_ Hayley emphasises. "Whatever happens today, people are not going to forget that quickly."

"They'll forget quickly if we don't win the gold medal." She mumbles under her breath.

"Fuck what Isobel and the rest of them say. You don't owe them anything, despite what you may think. We're here. We made it. As far as I'm concerned that should be proof enough that you're worth it."

She's surprised when the younger girl stands, jogging towards the stairs.

"I'll be right back."

She closes her eyes and calms her breathing, centres herself as she focuses on breathing in and out.

The footsteps that return are heavier, and she smiles to herself, opening her eyes as the familiar scent of Klaus' cologne envelopes her.

He's sitting on the bench opposite her, fixing her with an intense gaze as he smiles.

"Hello sweetheart." He says quietly, reaching out and taking her hands in his. They're warm, and he just closes his eyes, matching his breathing to hers.

It was exactly what she needed from him. He knew that words of encouragement wouldn't really work in this situation, but just his presence alone, him being here, was more than enough.

She was kind of surprised that it had been allowed, but when she sees a shadow at the door she knows that it's an Olympic Official, there to make sure that she doesn't take any drugs or anything crazy like that.

They'd all been drug tested before the competition, and no doubt they'd be drug tested after as well before the medal ceremony.

There had been a big scandal a few years ago, when the winning team (not USA), had been stripped of their medal and banned from competing in the next Olympics. Team USA had a super strict no drugs policy, and they weren't even allowed alcohol the week before a big meet.

It was something that she (and she knew the other girls), stuck too religiously.

She sits there with Klaus for a few moments, hands held in his before she sits up straighter and breathes in deep.

Klaus opens his eyes, regarding her with something akin to pride.

"You okay?" He asks in a low voice, squeezing her hands slightly. The trembling has all but stopped, and she feels good now, good enough to nod and keep her voice steady.

"I will be."

"You'll be fine. I won't look down on you too much if you don't win a medal." Klaus pokes her gently, a soft smile in place that shows that he's only teasing.

She smiles along with him, getting to her feet and grabbing her sports bag. She meets him halfway as he bends towards her, a sweet kiss to his lips before he's steering her towards the door.

"Come on then. You can't let me outdo you now, can you?"

* * *

Every muscle in her body is locked tight as she watches Hayley on the beam, the other girl again sailing through her routine with very little fuss or flourish. She made it look so easy, despite the fact that April had told her that Hayley had taken quite a bad tumble from the beam while they'd been training over the past few months.

It hadn't seemed to shake her confidence though, if the way she was progressing through her routine is anything to go by.

A short distance away, the Chinese team is also watching Hayley, murmuring to themselves as Hayley finishes her routine with a strong dismount, sticking to the landing before saluting the judges with a flourish.

The crowd erupts into cheers as Hayley finally allows herself to smile. It was their second apparatus, having started up strong on the vault, establishing a good baseline score to build on.

It was essentially the highest score wins, with all of the teams individual scores on each apparatus contributing towards the total score at the end of the day. All very cut and dry, but the competition was fierce.

The top 8 teams in the world were all competing simultaneously, and although they could keep track of the total score on the large screen at the end of the gymnasium, it was essentially up to Alaric to keep them updated with which gymnasts would be the ones to watch in the separate, individual events that would take place tomorrow.

Hayley finally comes to join them, April, Vicki, and Elena each pulling the younger girl into a hug, celebrating together.

She doesn't hesitate to pull Hayley into an embrace, the other girl going with a surprised look on her face. It had been the first time that they'd actually been somewhat affectionate with each other, tending to avoid more than a pat on the back during the heats.

"You okay?" Hayley asks quietly as she nods as a way of reply.

She's not sure what the other girl had been thinking, but was touched that she was clued in enough to know that she had needed Klaus, quick thinking enough to immediately go and fetch him, running everything by an Olympic official to ensure there wouldn't be any whisper of rule breaking should they go on to win.

"You're up." Alaric claps a hand on her shoulder, startling her as he steers her towards the steps leading up to the raised platform on which the beam is resting.

"Just breathe and focus." He continues in a low voice. "I know that it's not your favourite apparatus, but get through this and it's smooth sailing the whole way to the podium."

The Chinese team just stare at her, trying to psych her out. She gives them a cool smile as her name is announced, climbing up the stairs and saluting the judges in acknowledgement.

She's practiced this mount a hundred times with Alaric, and the familiar twist onto the beam before raising into a handstand feels like coming home a little.

She breathes in, blocking out her surroundings and the noise of the crowd as she begins.

Alaric had been helping to build her confidence on this apparatus, slightly increasing the difficulty of her routine without her really noticing. It's all moves that she's done before, and although it's nothing crazy like what Hayley's routine had been, it still demonstrates the strength, power, and her ability as a gymnast.

It's something that she can be proud of, and as she moves through the routine she thinks that just maybe this will be the best performance of her career.

The crowd seems to agree as she dismounts, sticking her landing and straightening with a wide smile.

She pauses before saluting, waving to the crowd as the judges confer about her score. She greets the other girls with a excited hug, allowing her teammates to surround her as Alaric claps her on the back.

Her score is high. Not as high as Hayley's, who is a beam specialist, but it far outstripped any of the efforts that the Chinese girls had managed to pull off, and it's a lot higher than she expected to be awarded given her trepidation towards the beam.

"Told you." Alaric just smiles smugly with her as she rolls her eyes, pushing him away with a laugh.

She could do this.

* * *

She steps onto the floor with a sense of relief, a smile in place as her eyes pick out the marked white lines that signified her boundary.

This was it. It all came down to this. All of the months of hard work, the countless training sessions, pushing her body to the very brink of it's limits, her time with Enzo, was all for this one, shining moment.

They were currently in second place in the team scores. Russia was coming first, China trailing behind in third place. No matter what happened, the Chinese would win the Bronze medal. They had finished competition, hadn't built up enough to even think about catching them and the Russian team.

It had essentially turned into a two horse race, and Team USA had been the last ones to compete, the Russian team waiting patiently to see if their efforts had been enough to win them the gold medal.

The other girls had all performed admirably, posting scores that anyone back home would have been proud of, inching them ever closer to closing the gap between themselves and the Russian team, who had been the surprising competition today.

Hayley had continued her surprising streak of brilliance, blowing everyone out of the water with a routine that had almost touched the score of the Russian team.

As such, it was Hayley's routine that assured her. To win the event, she would have to score at least a 7.6 in this routine. It wasn't impossible, but it wasn't going to be easy, especially not with the way that the judges had been coming down harshly on every small mistake throughout today.

Despite the enormous pressure that's been placed upon her, she can't help but breathe out. No matter what happened, she and the girls would medal today. She would be happy with silver, if it really came down to it.

It was also kind of bittersweet, knowing that this would be one of the last times that she'd step out onto this floor in a competitive capacity.

She'd decided to retire after Rio. It was something she'd been thinking of for some time, knowing that her body probably couldn't take another four years of training.

The future had terrified her, when she'd been sitting in Enzo's waiting room, waiting to hear of her fate.

But now… she was looking forward to it.

Squaring her shoulders, she takes her starting position, waiting quietly for the music of her routine to begin.

Her first tumbling line goes over like a dream, and she barely has time to ensure the landing sticks before launching into the dance element of her routine.

She feels graceful, like she's floating on air as she twirls her way through a combination of spins, jumps and leaps, the fiery Spanish composition the perfect accompaniment in the background.

As she lines up for the second tumbling line, she feels a twinge in her knee that almost stops her up short.

But she _knows_ that it's nothing serious, knows that her knee can take the immense amount of pressure that she's about to put on it.

She sprints, flipping once before rounding out into her second combination. The clock was winding down on her time now, her 90 seconds rapidly coming to an end as she steps out and moves into the closing elements of her routine.

The crowd screams it's approval as she finishes, straightening and wiping away a tear from her cheek before saluting the judges and stepping off the floor.

It's Alaric that sweeps her up into a hug, hiding her face from the crowd as she sucks in air to her lungs. She lets the other girls embrace her, all of them huddled together as they wait patiently for her score to be posted.

7.6 that was all that was standing between her and Olympic Gold.

The crowd falls silent, perhaps all of them aware of the gravity of the moment. It's the longest minute of her life as the judges whisper to each other for a moment, Alaric frozen beside her as they all nod in agreement before one of the judges touches his earpiece, relaying her score to the technicians so that it can be put up onto the big screen.

The screen flashes for a moment, and she holds her breath as the girls huddle around her.

And then the stadium erupts into noise, the girls screaming in her ear and jumping up and down as she finally, finally, gets a look at the score.

 _15.8_

They'd done it. She'd done it.

They'd won Olympic Gold. It had been the craziest uphill battle imaginable, and there had been so many times when she'd considered walking away, when she thought that she couldn't do it.

The weight of the responsibility given to her, to captain this team, had nearly driven her mad.

And through all the excitement, through all the celebrations, she can't help the inevitable from happening.

She bursts into happy tears.

* * *

 **AN: Chapter 21 is done and dusted! Of course Caroline was always going to win Gold, it was the culmination of a very harrowing yet successful journey for her.**

 **The Caroline we see here is a completely different person to the one that we see at the beginning of Chapter One, who was so full of doubt and scared of her future.**

 **She's grown and come a long way since then, and I'm proud of her journey here.**

 **For those of you who were wondering if I did have experience in the high levels of gymnastics, I actually did gymnastics for years when I was a bit younger. I won medals more often than not, but knew that I wasn't good enough to represent Australia at an elite level, and I was okay with that.**

 **I don't regret giving it up when I hit my teenage years. It required a lot of time, energy, and dedication that I wasn't prepared to put in at the time. Regardless, I still really enjoy watching the sport when high level competitions like the Commonwealth and Olympic Games happen.**

 **Anyway, enough rambling, I'll see you on the other side! Not long to go with this story now :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, The Originals and Steroline would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

 _ **3 Months Later**_

 _ **Daydream Island- Somewhere off the coast of Australia**_

The sound of the waves washing gently against the shore is enough to bring a smile to her face as she reclines on her deck chair, sand between her toes and a margarita in hand.

The sun beats down on her fiercely, the heat in Australia something completely different to what she used to experience back in Texas. She's slathered on her sunblock, a wide brimmed hat perched on her head to shield off the worst of it.

The water is a clear, impossible blue, and she's lost count of the amount of pictures that she's taken for her mom and the Mikaelson's in the UK, all of whom had told her to relax and enjoy herself. Because she deserved it.

She'd excelled in the individual finals in the Games, adding another two gold medals for her performance on floor and vault, and a silver for the beam.

Hayley had pipped her at the post, taking out gold in the individual event for beam with another trademark gravity defying routine.

She didn't mind, after seeing the look on the younger girl's face when she had discovered that she was the reigning Olympic champion on beam.

Give it another four years and Hayley would be one of the best in the world. And probably captaining her own team to boot.

It had been interesting, seeing the growth that the younger girl had gone through in such a short period of time. It was like she'd undergone a complete personality transplant, and if she was being honest, she was kind of proud of Hayley.

She'd worked hard for it, and she deserved her success. She was willing to put aside any petty misgivings that they'd had about each other if it meant that they could be something resembling friends.

The last three months had been a whirlwind of press tours, photo shoots, homecoming parades, and meet and greets.

Team USA had dominated on the medal tally as they tended to do each Games, and it seemed like every reporter in existence wanted a comment on her career, what her plans were next, her supposed rivalry with Hayley.

But most of all they wanted a comment on her relationship with Klaus.

The paparazzi back home hadn't really cottoned onto the fact that she and Klaus were an actual, serious thing until their pre Rio press conference, and even then the intensity of their scrutiny hadn't been apparent until after The Olympics, when she'd had a chance to stop and look into it.

She'd moved back to Virginia after coming home to Texas. She'd broken the news of her retirement to Alaric first, and then the girls as gently as she could. The former had reacted with his trademark calmness, telling her that he would've been more surprised had she not retired.

The girls all had varying reactions, from understanding to disappointment in the case of Hayley, who she suspected was more upset about it than she'd initially let on.

Her mom had welcomed her back to Mystic Falls, Virginia with open arms, and for a few weeks she'd just been a normal girl with a normal life, and she found that she didn't entirely hate it.

She still kept up her running routine and went to the gym regularly, but her body softened a little, hard muscle being replaced by gentle curves now that she didn't have to stick to a strict diet.

She ate chocolate and pasta and ice cream, binged Netflix and skyped Klaus and Rebekah and Bonnie and Kol whenever the time differences matched up.

Of course, she'd soon found that she was bored with the life that she'd carved out for herself. It was strange for her, not having to get up at the crack of dawn each day and train for hours on end.

Klaus' call, along with the announcement that he was whisking her away to the Southern Hemisphere had come at the perfect time.

Her eyes are drawn to the water, just in time to see Klaus surface with a gasp, pushing his hair out of his face, water droplets sparkling like diamonds on his well toned chest.

He smirks, perhaps knowing that she's blatantly checking him out behind the relative safety of her sunglasses.

She just watches as he wades towards her, not even pretending to read the book that she has held in her lap, instead pushing her sunglasses to rest on top of her head.

"See something you like sweetheart?" Klaus asks bemusedly, bending down to kiss her gently before dropping into the chair next to hers.

"Yep." She answers bluntly, giving him a languid once over before squeezing her eyes shut against the brightness of the sun.

Klaus' chuckle wraps around her like a caress as she slides her sunglasses back over her eyes and relaxes back into the chair with a sigh.

"This was the best idea. Thanks for kidnapping me." She tells him without taking her gaze off the secluded stretch of beach that their villa backed onto.

Semi private, they set a little away from the rest of the resort, and she was loving the privacy that it afforded.

"Anytime love. We were both well overdue for a rest."

"That I can definitely agree with." She remarks with a soft laugh. "Regardless, I'm very happy to be here with you."

Klaus gets to his feet and shoots her a sinful smile, holding out his hand for her to take.

"Come on then. Dinner soon, and we've just got enough time for what I want to do to you in that bed of ours."

Well then.

That was an offer that she simply couldn't refuse.

* * *

They eat dinner by the infinity pool of their villa, room service having sent over their selections off the menu, accompanied by a bottle of red from the Barossa Valley and a jug of ice water.

She watches the sun set over the water, the sky turning to pink and purple and blue and gold as the temperature cools.

She can feel Klaus watching her, turns back to him and meets his eyes with a smile.

"What?" She asks with a self conscious laugh. "You're staring at me."

"I am." He admits with a smile of his own. "It's hard not to."

She takes his hand, sweeping a thumb over the back of it.

"Such a flatterer." She teases him.

"It would be remiss of me not to." He points out with a helpless grin. "I'm just happy."

She smiles fondly at his pronouncement.

"Me too." She replies with a smile. "How long have you got before you start pre season training?"

"Only a month or so." He takes a sip of wine. "The Olympics fell at an odd time of the year for us. Normally we'd have a much longer break, but no rest for the wicked."

"It seems to have worked out well for you." She remarks dryly, referring to the gold medal that he'd won. "Have you had any offers from other teams wanting to take you on?"

"Plenty." He admits to her. "But I'm content to stay where I am for now. Close to my family, and I'm earning more than enough money."

The wind whistles through the trees, and she hugs her middle lightly as the night air begins to cool, stars winking into existence over head.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something love." He begins carefully, as if he's weighing each of the words before saying them. "I know that we haven't really talked about what your plans are going to be in the coming months and years, but I'm hoping that they involve me."

"Klaus, of course they're going to involve you." She replies immediately, watching as he visibly exhales.

He's _nervous._

"It's just…" Klaus trails off lost for words as he climbs to his feet. "Oh screw it." She hears him mumble under his breath before he promptly sinks to one knee in front of her chair, and all the breath seemingly leaves her body at the sight.

Oh god.

Klaus just smiles gently as he reaches out and grips her hand in his.

"Caroline, from the moment that we met I knew that we had something that I couldn't quite put my finger on. The more we bumped into each other the more I knew that I wanted to be with you. You know that I love and respect you so much, and I hope very much that you will agree to spend the rest of your life with me."

She just gapes at him as Klaus squeezes her hand gently.

"Caroline Forbes, will you include me in your plans and marry me?"

She's lost for words as Klaus reaches into his pocket with his other hand, pulling out a beautiful diamond ring that had obviously been burning a whole in his pocket ever since they'd gotten dressed for dinner.

She reaches out and cups his face between her hands with a gentle smile. Because she knew that it was always going to get to this stage, that they were going to take this step in their relationship together.

"Yes." She tells him simply, watches as his smile lights up his whole face, lets him slide the ring onto her fourth finger with shaky hands.

When he pulls her into a soft kiss it feels like coming home.

She always knew that if she wanted to be with him she'd have to move to the UK. His career kept him there, and she'd never make him uproot his whole life and move to America to join the struggling football league there.

England was his home, and somehow, impossibly while she'd been there she'd made it her home as well.

"I suppose we'll have to wait a bit for the wedding." Klaus voices in a thoughtful tone once he's returned to his seat opposite her. "I know that things are a bit up in the air at the moment."

"Not with us though." She replies quickly. "And actually, I have something to show you."

She pushes her chair back quickly, padding into their villa and making a beeline straight for her suitcase, for the hidden pocket where this particular letter had been sitting for days now.

She'd been waiting for the perfect time to tell him about this, and now seemed a good a time as any.

She doesn't say anything when she returns, simply hands Klaus the envelope and takes a seat to gauge his reaction.

She knows exactly what he's reading word for word, sees the moment that it registers in his mind, that he comprehends what he's seeing in front of him.

You see, once she'd had her fill of being a normal person for once in her life, she'd started applying to colleges. It had always been something that she'd want to experience, and her decision to study physiotherapy after seeing the miracles that Enzo had produced within her was a natural direction for her to take.

If she could offer someone the same help, the same lifeline that Enzo had offered her all those months ago when they'd first met and she hadn't been sure if she had a future in gymnastics, then that was a career that she could definitely get on board with.

So she'd written to a number of schools, both in the States and in the UK, expressing her interest in joining their next incoming class. She knew it wouldn't be a cakewalk, but her GPA was higher than the average, and she figured that winning multiple Olympic Gold medals for her country more than made up for her lack of extra curricular during high school.

Much to her surprise, the acceptance letters had come flowing in. She'd been both surprised and flattered at the responses from some of the schools, Ivy League colleges included.

But what had caught her eye was the one school that she'd been hoping that she would get a response from- Cambridge University in the UK.

They had written back and had told her in no uncertain terms that they would be delighted to have her should she so desire, and that they'd offer her a scholarship to boot given her GPA and her achievements in sport.

She didn't need the scholarship and had told them as much when she'd written back to them to formally accept her place. She'd be starting in the fall with the rest of the incoming class, and would be there for the next four years until she completed her degree.

And of course, when she'd told Enzo, he'd offered her a place to work or intern when the time came. He'd also remained tight lipped, not sharing her news with anyone else, even Rebekah.

"You're moving to the UK?" He asks hoarsely as she just smiles and nods.

She meets him halfway when he steps around the table, pulling her into his arms in a tight hug that almost has her breathless.

She goes willingly, burying her head into his chest and just breathing. It felt good to finally share this news with someone else other than her mom, who had reacted with nothing but happiness for her, even if it meant that her only child was moving to the other side of the world.

"I was considering living on campus, but then I thought, why not just stay with you? If you'll have me of course." She remarks playfully as Klaus just rolls her eyes, resting his chin on top of her head.

"Of course I'll have you, Caroline."

He doesn't stop her when she pulls him down for a gentle kiss, hands wrapping around her waist as they sway back and forth for a moment.

"Come on then, I suppose we better break the news to our families. Rebekah will be absolutely overjoyed."

* * *

It feels strange, being on another plane travelling to England.

When she'd first hopped on this plane all those months ago, she'd been scared and uncertain, a certain feeling of hopelessness threatening to overwhelm her.

She hadn't even met Rebekah and Kol, let alone even begin to become acquainted with Klaus.

But now… everything had changed.

After breaking the news to Rebekah and the rest of Klaus' family about her engagement, they'd wrapped up their vacation and had flown back to Mystic Falls, Virginia to spend some much needed time with her mom.

Her mom had reacted to the news of her engagement with not a flicker of surprise in her weathered features. Apparently Klaus had beaten her to the punch, asking permission from her mom when he'd first come over to surprise her at Trials some time ago.

In fact, her mom had been more surprised that it had taken Klaus this long to propose to her rather than the fact that he'd asked the question at all.

They'd spent a week with her mom, packing up most of her belongings and shipping them over to Klaus' address in England, and she hopes against hope that they all get there in the one piece.

Klaus' hand squeezing hers gently pulls her back into the present, and she glances over at him with a sleepy smile.

They've got a few hours before they begin their descent into London, and she'd passed the time by reading, listening to music, and just thinking about all the possibilities that their future together could hold.

They'd kept their engagement a secret, and she had no intention of revealing it publicly until she was good and ready.

Even though Klaus had been off the market so to say for months now, she was happy to keep this part of her life a secret.

Rebekah had reacted to their travel plans with barely concealed delight, promising to pick them up from the airport and take them wherever they needed to go.

It was a touching gesture, considering Rebekah was in the middle of preparing her line for London Fashion Week, having just gotten back from a vacation of her own with Enzo in Milan.

The two of them were still going strong, and she expected Enzo to ask Bekah to move in with him any day now. Whether or not Rebekah would give up her hard won independence for him was another matter entirely, but the two of them seemed quite smitten with each other so there was that.

Klaus had long accepted that the two of them were serious away, and wouldn't interfere either way.

"I can almost hear you thinking." Klaus prompts her gently as she leans her head against his shoulder.

The Business Class seats were wide and spacious, but she still found herself invading his personal space regardless. Not that Klaus seemed to mind.

"I'm just excited. I don't know what's coming next and for the first time in my life I feel okay about that."

Klaus just smiles to himself, sweeping a thumb over the back of her hand.

"Then I'm glad. You should try and get some sleep now sweetheart, I'm quite sure that Rebekah isn't going to let you have any once we're landed and she's picked us up."

"You make a good point." She concedes, before leaning her chair back and settling in, Klaus draping a blanket over her and tucking in the corners with a heart melting smile.

Surprisingly, it doesn't take long at all for sleep to claim her.

The intercom wakes her a few hours later, the pilot announcing that they would be beginning their descent into London soon.

She and Klaus are both seasoned travellers, and work together to fold their tray tables and seats back to an upright position, get rid of any rubbish, and stow away their laptops and bulkier belongings overhead and under their seats.

The flight attendant barely spares them a glance as she strolls by them to perform her final checks before belting herself in, and she can't help but tangle her fingers with Klaus' as she leans over him to look out the window.

The familiar skyline of London comes into view as they finally descend from the clouds, and she can't help the smile from creeping across her face as she takes in the familiar sight.

Klaus sweeping her hair away from her face makes her jump slightly, but she says nothing, simply settling back into her seat as the plane approaches the tarmac of the runway.

They touch down with a definitive thump, brakes squealing before the plane taxis to a halt and begins it's steady progress from the runway to the gate.

They have to wait of course for first class passengers to disembark first, but soon enough they're being waved off the plane and into the hustle and bustle of Heathrow airport.

She's not quite sure how they make it through security so quickly, no doubt someone recognising Klaus and giving them some sort of priority, but she soon finds herself with her heavy suitcase in tow, the other hand grasping Klaus' as they make their way towards the arrival hall.

She spots Rebekah almost straight away, the other blonde woman cutting a striking figure in immaculate tailored clothes, the rest of the Mikaelson siblings surrounding her, Bonnie dressed in her scrubs from the hospital, either coming off of a shift or on her way to one, and Enzo standing next to Kol.

Rebekah doesn't call out, simply takes long strides towards them, very quickly eating up the distance between them as the rest of her family follow enthusiastically.

She finds herself surrounded in the next few seconds, Bonnie and Rebekah and Katherine all looking to take a peek at her engagement ring, showering her with greetings and congratulations.

Elijah gives her a somewhat dignified kiss on the cheek all things considered, Kol pulling her into an enthusiastic hug before greeting his brother.

It's happy and chaotic and everything she expected of them and more, and she can't help but think how lucky she is that she gets to call these people her family from now on.

And the thing is, she never thought she'd get something like this, a love like this. It's crazy how the worst of circumstances can provide something so beautiful, how the smallest changes in your life can result in something amazing.

Elijah takes her suitcase from her with a quick wink, pulling it behind him like it weights absolutely nothing. Klaus just watches with a fond smile as Kol chatters away to him, looking more relaxed and happy than she's seen him in months, their time away on vacation together excluded.

Rebekah slings an arm around her shoulder as they start to walk towards the carpark, the rest of their group falling in around them.

"I bet you didn't expect a welcome _quite_ like this." She remarks dryly, throwing a look over her shoulder at Kol, who has Bonnie tucked into his side as they walk together. "Once Kol found out I was collecting you he insisted on tagging along, and then invited the rest of the family for good measure."

"It was perfect." She tells Rebekah honestly, because it was.

Even though she wanted nothing more than to fall into the nearest bed right now and sleep her jet lag away, she can't contain her happiness at being here and surrounded by the Mikaelson's, and Bonnie, and Katherine and Enzo.

Rebekah just smiles at her, beautiful features lighting up.

"Welcome home Caroline."

* * *

 **AN: So, I know I said that there was probably going to be be a few more chapters, but I've been writing and I've really just come to the conclusion that this is the last full length chapter of Fever Pitch- epilogue to come!**

 **I debated a long time about stretching this out for another few chapters, but it seemed like a natural way to end the story, with Caroline winning gold and her having a clear direction on her future and where she'd go from here.**

 **And to be honest as much as I loved writing this universe, I felt like it was the right place to call time on this story so to say.**

 **I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who may have read, reviewed, followed, or favorited this story throughout this journey.**

 **I've wanted to write this story for quite some time now, and although updates may not have been as regular as my ones for Billion Lights or Uneasy Lies, please know that it was an absolute joy to share this with you, and each comment and review made my day when I received them.**

 **Don't ever underestimate how important you are to writers- when things in our real lives get tough, you are the people that bring us happiness and joy through your reviews, that remind us that writing is worth it. Thank you for your patience as I battled my own demons in my real life.**

 **Of course, now that this is only needing an epilogue, I'll be focusing on wrapping up How It All Ends, Miles to Go, and Up All Night, as well as focusing on other stories that I've been writing for other fandoms.**

 **I'll still be around, so don't worry!**

 **See you on the other side for the epilogue, and don't forget to review!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or it's characters. If I did, The Originals and Steroline would never have happened, Kol would be alive and happily causing mayhem somewhere, and Klaus and Caroline would be travelling the world and sexing it up.**

* * *

 **3 years later…**

She holds the mug of tea between her hands as she watches the rain swirl beyond the cafe windows, blowing on the hot drink to cool it.

Winter had well and truly set in over London, and as long as she's lived here, she still doesn't think that she'll ever get used to the chill.

Klaus reassures her that the further inland they get the warmer it will be, but she has yet to see any particular evidence of that, finds herself wishing for a hazy Texas day, all dry heat and sunshine.

The bell ringing over the door heralds a customer stepping into the cosy cafe, and Hayley Marshall's face lights up when their eyes meet.

The younger girl, now twenty two years of age, weaves her way gracefully between the tables before bending down to pull her into a hug.

"Good to see you." Hayley begins with a smile, depositing herself into the chair opposite and scooping up a menu from the middle of the table. "Thanks again for inviting me."

She and Hayley had actually defied all odds when it came to their acquaintanceship, which had very quickly progressed quite naturally to friendship as time went by.

Although younger than her, Hayley was witty and intelligent, always ready with the right answer whenever she needed it, willing to listen to any advice that she might have to give.

As a result Hayley's career had also progressed in leaps and bounds, and the girl was not only the reigning Olympic champion, but reigning world champion in beam, something which she had continued to own as her specialty.

"To my wedding? Of course you were going to be invited. Did you and Elena have a good trip over? You guys were on the same flight, yeah?"

A cafe worker hovers next to their table, eyes lighting up with recognition at the sight of the two of them together. The girl says nothing however, simply pulls a notepad and pen out of her apron pocket and waits expectantly for Hayley to order.

They're left alone once she does, and Hayley finally answers her question.

"It was fine. Elena and I kept ourselves entertained. She's a bit jet lagged, crashed back at the hotel room and told me to tell you that she'd call you when she's a bit more reasonable to deal with.

She laughs softly at that, because it was definitely something that her oldest friend would say.

"I'll forgive her this time. Tell me though, what are you up to? How's Tokyo training going?"

Selections for the Tokyo Olympics had just taken place for Team USA, and predictably, Hayley had been selected to captain the team to hopefully another Gold Medal win.

Hayley had been quite modest about the achievement, miles away from the attitude she'd displayed three years ago in the lead up to Rio.

"It's rough, but okay now that Isobel has quit the coaching team and disappeared. Alaric has taken her place, and he's so much more reasonable to deal with. Didn't even bat an eyelid when Vicki and I told him that we were skipping practice for a few days to come over for your wedding. He sends his apologies that he couldn't make it. Again."

She waves a hand dismissively.

"I've already told him it's fine. He's got some stuff going on, just the fact that he sent me his well wishes is enough for me."

Hayley just smiles up at the worker, who's returned with a steaming cup of coffee.

"I have to admit I'm loving how cloak and dagger everything about this wedding has been. Any particular reason why?"

Media scrutiny around her relationship with Klaus had never really gone away, especially after they'd moved in together. Although it was rare to encounter paparazzi outside of London where Klaus lived, once they were in the city or out at an event it was usually fair game.

She'd learnt to stop reading tabloids over time, learnt to just ignore all the rumours and speculation and trust in her bond with Klaus.

It had served them well so far, although not without a few memorable arguments and fights throughout her studies that had stretched them both thin.

"We just want this day to be about us you know? Us and our closest friends and family. We don't want to share it with the rest of the world, sell off exclusive photographs to the highest bidder."

Hayley leans back in her seat with a nod.

"Now that I can definitely understand."

"How's Jackson?" She asks the younger girl, taking a sip from her mug. "Still going strong?"

Hayley just gives her a soft smile.

"Yeah, still going great. He gets it you know? It's refreshing."

Jackson was a lawyer in downtown Huntsville, with a busy and successful career of his own. He was a good foil to Hayley's hot headedness, always there with a calming smile and a funny anecdote to calm her.

They were well suited for each other, and he brought some much needed stability to Hayley's chaotic life. He was working on a big case at the moment, otherwise he would have accompanied Hayley to the wedding.

"You nervous about tomorrow?" Hayley asks after a beat.

"No." She replies immediately. "It feels like we've been married forever. I think the only reason we were waiting was for off season and when my final year was almost done so we could do the honeymoon straight away."

"I'm glad." Hayley replies with a smile.

"You deserve all the happiness in the world."

* * *

Rebekah straightens from where she'd been crouched at her feet, adjusting the hem of the gown that she'd hand sewn for the occasion herself. Rebekah called it her Magnus Opus, the gown that would define her career.

And as she looks at herself in the full length mirror in one of the upstairs bedrooms of the Mikaelson mansion in Wiltshire, maybe it might be true.

The dress is beautiful, with a flattering silhouette and a flowing, floor length skirt. With the height of her heels she won't be tripping over the hem at all, which was the one thing she was worried about.

Well, that and having to constantly hitch up the bodice of her dress if she was going strapless, which Rebekah had flat out refused to make for her during the initial design process.

They'd finally settled on a long sleeved gown, the laces sheer and delicate and warm enough to protect her from the English Autumn.

"There." Rebekah pulls gently at her skirt, now wanting to upset the luxurious fall of the skirt. Then she takes a giant step back to survey her handiwork. "You look beautiful."

Rebekah is dressed in a pale blue gown, also of her own design. Bonnie, her other bridesmaid, is in a matching dress, and turns from her spot by the door.

"Oh Care, you look stunning." Bonnie declares with a beatific smile. "Are you nervous?" She asks carefully.

"No, not particularly." She answers her best friend, who just nods in understanding.

It was the same as what she'd told Hayley before. She and Klaus had been together for quite some time now, and felt like they'd been married for just as long given their living arrangements.

Besides, she was used to being the centre of attention. She would do what she always did in scenarios like this. Breathe, and block all but the most important stuff out.

There's a gentle tap on the door and her mother pokes her head around the opening, mouth opening slightly as she takes in the sight of her daughter in her gown.

Given Liz Forbes role as the main parent in her life, she could think of no better person to accompany her down the aisle. While this particular job typically went to the father of the family, given the fact that her father had walked out on them years ago and had lost that right.

He'd tried to get back in touch, after hearing of her win at Rio, but she was having none of it. He'd made no effort before then, it was only now that she was successful that he even bothered. It'd be something for him to brag about to work colleagues, and she had no doubt in her mind that he already was, regardless of their relationship.

She hadn't invited him to the wedding. Hadn't even thought about it.

"Are you ready to go?" Her mom asks, and she just gives a gentle nod before beginning her progress out of the room, Bonnie handing her a bouquet of flowers before she exits.

Rebekah and Bonnie fall into step behind her as they begin the long progress downstairs and outside into the gardens.

Esther had very kindly offered up the use of the Mikaelson estate for the wedding when she'd heard of her and Klaus' wishes for a private affair.

With high walls ringing the property and security all entrances and exits, there was no way that a paparazzi could crash the event and spoil the day with intrusive photographs.

That and the address of the Mikaelson estate was known to very few people, Klaus and his siblings taking care over the years to not compromise the security of their childhood home.

They'd set up a glass marquee for the reception, but the ceremony itself would be taking place outside in the gardens, in a similar setting to Bonnie and Kol's wedding all those years ago.

The sun is shining in a cornflower blue sky, and although the week prior had painted the skies in a dull, grey blanket with the threat of rain, she couldn't have asked for a better day to get married.

"Is it usually this nice?" Her mom asks as they wind their way down the hill towards the gardens, squinting into the sunshine.

"No." She replies with a laugh. "I was half expecting it to rain. We're very lucky." She adds as Rebekah and Bonnie chatter away behind her, arms linked as they help each other navigate the terrain in their own heels.

"A good omen then." Her mother replies with a wink as they reach the entrance of the gardens, pausing to listen to the music, the sound of the guests murmuring to each other as they prepare to make their entrance.

Bonnie and Rebekah move ahead of them, each giving her a gentle squeeze on the arm and a kind smile.

She and her mom link arms as they step forward together, the guests rising to their feet and turning as one to watch her progress.

She spots Klaus right away, an awestruck look on her face as he takes her in from top to toe. Kol and Elijah are standing next to him, both looking equally as pleased that this day is finally, _finally_ taking place.

Her mom drops her arm, and she stops to give her a kiss on the cheek before stepping forward on her own and taking Klaus' outstretched hand.

He looks absolutely delectable in his tuxedo, the fabric perfectly tailored to the strong lines of his body. Rebekah's doing no doubt, and she makes a mental note to send her sister in law a giant bunch of flowers.

Klaus kisses the back of his hand and gives her a smile that takes her breath away. Bonnie steps forward to take her bouquet, and as one she and Klaus turn towards the celebrant they'd chosen to marry them.

"I love you." Klaus murmurs under his breath as she turns to look at him with a gentle smile, hands still joined.

"I love you too."

The crowd seats themselves and Klaus just squeezes her hands reassuringly.

She just smiles. Because she's happy.

"Dearly beloved. We are gathered here today…"

* * *

 **AN: I feel strangely emotional about finishing this fic. This is a story that I've wanted to write for years now, but I wanted to wait and finish some of my other stories before giving this one the attention it deserved.**

 **This is probably the quickest that I've ever written a full length fic, and I have all of you to thank for it. Your continued support, encouragement, and excited reviews meant the world to me and I thank you for sticking with this giant fluff ball of a story.**

 **This epilogue was always going to be short, and things were never really going to be wrapped up neatly in a nice little bow.**

 **I like to think that you can imagine your own endings for Klaus and Caroline in this universe, come up with your own head canons. But for now at least, I'm happy to leave it at this point- Klaus and Caroline happy and married.**

 **Caroline's happiness was all that I ever wanted in this story, and she went through a hell of a journey to get there.**

 **I'm thrilled to be able to mark another story as complete. Thank you again for your support, you guys are the greatest.**


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